8 Somalians asks the High Court to issue them writs of habeas corpus
By Staff Reporter
EIGHT Somalians have asked the Lusaka High Court to grant them leave to issue writs of habeas corpus directing the officers-in-charge at Lusaka Central Correctional Facility and Kamwala Remand to appear in court and show cause why they should not be immediately released after been detained for about two months without being charged.
In an affidavit affirmed by Ifrah Bashir Ali on his behalf and seven others, he stated that they have been in detention for about two months now without being, charged which was illegal.
Ali stated that their continued detention by the Immigration Department was unlawful and inhuman.
He stated that if the Immigration found them wanting, they should have sent them back to their country where they have a better chance of surviving than being subjected to the deadly environment of prison in Zambia as they had return air tickets.
Ali explained that on March 27 this year, he and others received invitation letters to attend an Inter Cultural Competency Course at Kook College of International Studies in Lusaka which course was to run for a month starting May 2019.
He stated that following the said invitation, which the they accepted, Kook College applied for single entry visas which were approved by the Zambian Immigration authorities.
Ali added that after the visas were approved, they traveled to Zambia and landed at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA ) on May 16, this year where they were subjected to vigorous screening by the Immigration.
He explained that after the vigorous screening, they proceeded to Fairview Hotel where they were booked at the expense of Kook College.
Ali further stated that to their surprise on May 24 and May 25 2019, Immigration officials picked them up from the hotel and took them to Lusaka Central Correctional Facility and the others to Kamwala Remand Correctional Facility and have been in detention ever since without being charged.
