Sekete Lesaoana
Ten Chinese and South African nationals were this week arrested and fined for working in the country without proper documentation following a business inspection tour targeting non-Lesotho nationals.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, eight of the arrested included three South African and five Chinese nationals who were detained in police custody on Tuesday this week for contravening section 165 (1) of Labour Code Order no. 24 of 1992, for working in the country without work permits.
The other two Chinese nationals were arrested on Monday for the same crime.
The ten aliens were arrested during a joint inspection on the business community by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police, Ministry of Trade, Industry, Business Development and Tourism, Ministry of Public Service Labour and Employment, Ministry of Health and Revenue Services Lesotho.
The main aim of the inspection is to establish non-citizens’ compliance towards set rules and regulations of the country.
Police report revealed that, three of the Chinese nationals who were arrested during the joined inspections namely; Chen Qiumei a female aged 40 years, Chen Fen a male aged 44 years and Silin Chen a male aged 38 years have since appeared before the Maseru Magistrate and were found guilty as charged.
Accused number 1 and 3 were both fined M1000 or six month’s imprisonment but both accused paid a fine of M1000 each while accused number 2 was fined M1,000 or six month’s imprisonment, half was suspended and he paid a fine of M500.
