Three undocumented immigrants from Ethiopia have been detained in Petauke in connection with a fatal road traffic accident in which three people, including a Zambian driver, died and several others injured.
Department of Immigration Public Relations Officer Namati Nshika disclosed that the accident, which happened on Friday last week between Sinda and Petauke, was caused by excessive speed. The driver of the vehicle, Peter Phiri, died en route to St. Francis Hospital while two of the Ethiopian passengers died on the spot. Three others sustained injuries and are currently hospitalized while the remaining three have been detained at Petauke Correctional Facility.
According to the preliminary investigations into the matter, the deceased Zambian driver met his fate while illegally transporting the eight Ethiopians.
Nshinka also said 137 immigrants had been removed from the country in a mass exercise conducted in Lusaka on November 23. The removed immigrants comprise 14 Rwandese, 49 Tanzanians, and 74 Burundi nationals. In just two days, from November 22 to 24, a total of 158 illegal migrants were removed in Lusaka alone.
