BURUNDIAN FINED FOR ILLEGAL STAY

ABURUNDI national has been fined K 5, 000 for illegally staying in Zambia for close to nine years.

In this case, Eric Butoyi, 38 of house number SAV 22 Kinana Bujumbura, Burundi was convicted of unlawful stay in Zambia.

Butoyi stayed in Zambia without a valid immigration document between September 8 last year and January 7, this year in Livingstone.

When the matter came up for plea before Livingstone Chief Resident Magistrate Willie Sinyangwe, Butoyi pleaded guilty to the charge.

He told the court that he did not know the procedures of acquiring necessary documents from the immigration department.

Butoyi admitted that even in his country, no foreign nationals were allowed to stay without authority or permit from the immigration department.

Facts before court are that on January 7, this year, the immigration department received information that there was a Burundi national who was staying in the country without documentation.

A team of officers from the department proceeded to the area and apprehended him after he failed to produce valid papers of staying in the country. He was later conveyed to the immigration department offices where he was warned and cautioned and was later arrested.

In mitigation, Butoyi asked for leniency as he was a first offender and that given a chance he would organise proper documents.

In passing the sentence, the magistrate said Butoyi knew that his documents had an expiry date and decided to stay without seeking assistance from the immigration department.

"This country is very hospitable and you can attest to the close to nine years period you have stayed without papers. We have immigration officers countrywide who can give help people to people like you.

"Therefore, I will fine you K 5,000 or in default five months simple imprisonment," Mr Sinyangwe said.