27 Foreign Nationals Removed, Two Burundians Fined Over Forged Immigration Documents

Zambia has removed 27 foreign nationals from the country after they were convicted of various immigration offences and paid court-imposed fines, the Department of Immigration has said.

The removals took place on September 23 and 24, 2026, as immigration authorities also secured convictions against three Burundian nationals for offences including unlawful stay and the use of forged immigration documents.

Fifteen foreign nationals, comprising 13 Somalis and two Pakistanis, were removed through Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Thursday after being convicted of illegal entry and unlawful stay.

A further 12 Zimbabwean nationals, nine men and three women, were removed through Chirundu Border Control on Wednesday after convictions for unlawful stay and failure to appear before an Immigration Officer.

Two of the Zimbabwean men had been convicted in Muchinga Province before being transferred to Lusaka for onward removal, while the other 10 were convicted in Lusaka.

Burundians fined over immigration offences

In a separate case, 38-year-old Burundian national Innocent Horicubonye was convicted by the Lusaka Magistrate Court on two immigration offences.

He was fined K15,000 for failing to appear before an Immigration Officer after entering Zambia and another K15,000 for unlawful stay.

The sentences are to run consecutively, meaning Horicubonye faces a total fine of K30,000 or, in default, 12 months' imprisonment.

The Department said he was apprehended in Makeni during an immigration operation after investigations established that he had entered Zambia through Zombe Border but failed to report to the nearest Immigration Office and later remained in the country without valid documentation authorising his stay.

Meanwhile, the Mpika Magistrate Court convicted two other Burundian nationals, Niyongabo Chadrack, 34, and Nihorimbere Ferdinand, 37, for using forged Notices to Appear before an Immigration Officer.

Each was fined K15,000 or, in default, nine months' imprisonment.

The two were arrested on September 14 at the Mpika Police Checkpoint while travelling from Lusaka to Mbala.

According to Immigration, officers became suspicious after the men separately presented Notices to Appear that contained irregularities.

Checks through the Zambia Immigration Management System found no corresponding records for the documents, with subsequent investigations confirming that they were forged.

The Department has reminded foreign nationals to comply with the conditions governing their entry and stay in Zambia and to maintain valid immigration documentation.

It has also warned that the use of forged, altered or fraudulently obtained immigration documents can result in prosecution.