Mbanza Kongo – At least 300 US dollars is the amount paid by each of the 20 illegal immigrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who, on Sunday, January 21st, breached the national border to reach the Angolan city of Mbanza Kongo, in northern Zaire province.
The group from the neighbouring country was arrested by the Border Guard Police (PGF) in the border commune of Luvo, 60 kilometers north of the city of Mbanza Kongo.
The spokesman for the Zaire Provincial Command of the National Police, Intendant Luís Bernardo, told Angop on Monday that the illegal entry of said foreigners in the national territory was facilitated by a Citizen of the DRC, who was also detained.
He added that the accused is a repeat offender in this type of crime and had already been sentenced to two years in prison in 2023 by the Mbanza Kongo District Court, having evaded jail two months later.
"The DRC citizen, named Charly Ntua Nsuka, 32, accused of the offence of promoting and aiding illegal immigration, was being sought by the local authorities for having escaped from Nkiende jail, where he had been serving a two-year sentence since 2023," the source pointed out.
Luís Bernardo said that he and his compatriots were arrested in flagrante delicto on a farm located in Luvo commune, when they were preparing to reach the city of Mbanza Kongo by clandestine means.
He explained that the money charged by the guide, who lives in the town of PTC/Lufu (DRC), was only to reach the city of Mbanza Kongo, and that he would then charge other amounts to take them to the country's capital, Luanda.
Among the illegal immigrants arrested, eight are women. All of them will be sent to the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME) in the next few days for repatriation.
The province of Zaire shares 310 kilometers of border with the DRC. JL/DAN/DOJ
