By Amos Sikaonga 
By Amos Sikaonga
A joint team of Immigration and other security wings has picked up five Zambians including a clinical officer, nurse, registry clerk, General worker and a carpenter, based at Kaputa Hospital in connection with suspected drug theft.
The five individuals were implicated by a Congolese illegal immigrant who was found in possession of the suspected stolen drugs.
Ilunga Tambwe 39, was detained by the Kaputa Immigration Office on 30th April, 2025, for failure to appear before the nearest immigration officer upon entry into Zambia and unlawful stay.
According to Department of Immigration Public Relations Officer, Namati Nshinka, a subsequent search of Tambwe’s house led to the discovery of assorted drugs believed to have been stolen from Kaputa Hospital, hidden in 20-litre plastic containers.
“Ilunga Tambwe, was arrested on April 30, 2025, at his home in Chashele Village, Kaputa District, during a joint operation involving immigration officers and other security agencies. The operation followed a tip-off from a concerned member of the public.”
“The operation also resulted in the arrest of five Zambians in connection with the suspected theft. Those detained include a clinical officer, a nurse, a registry clerk, a general worker, and a carpenter, all affiliated with Kaputa Hospital,” Mr. Nshinka stated.
And Mr. Nshinka disclosed that on 2nd May, 2025, the Department of Immigration detained two undocumented Burundian nationals in Lusaka, namely, Therence Niyonkuru, 35, and Jeremie Nduwimana, 30, for attempting to fraudulently obtain Zambian National Registration Cards (NRCs).
“They were intercepted in Kanyama during the ongoing mobile registration exercise.”
“A 65-year-old Zambian man, Emmanuel Chanda of John Laing, who posed as their biological father to aid in the NRC applications, was also apprehended. All three, reportedly members of the same Church, remain in custody pending court appearances,” Mr. Nshinka explained.
He noted that the Kanyama incident brought the total number of individuals apprehended for various immigration-related offences between May 2 and 4, 2025, to 45.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nshinka disclosed that on 3rd May, 2025, the Kitwe Immigration Office removed 27 prohibited immigrants from Zambia after they paid court fines for immigration offences.
He said those removed include 17 Burundians and 10 Tanzanians.
Mr. Nshinka added that four Tanzanians and one Ugandan were also deported after completing prison sentences for various offences.
“Among them was 31-year-old Joseph Mugina, a Tanzanian national who had just finished serving a 15-year sentence for defilement,” he noted.
He said this brought the total number of illegal immigrants removed from the country between May 2 and 4 to 102.
Mr. Nshinka added that on 2nd May, 2025, immigration officers at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport intercepted two Zambian men, aged 31 and 32 for attempting to travel to Oman for work without the required clearances from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
“This action forms part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat potential cases of human trafficking and labour exploitation,” he said.
Cecilia Chiluba 
Joseph Tembo