A 56-year-old foreign national, alleged to have been housing undocumented individuals, has appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court in the Free State, police said.
Guesthouse owner, Lyndon Adentuji Odili, was arrested for contravening the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act 13 of 2002). Odili was granted R10 000 bail, and his case has been postponed to 31 July 2026 for further investigation.
Hs arrest followed a swift intelligence driven response by law enforcement on Tuesday after a tip-off was received by the South African Police Service (SAPS) of several undocumented individuals having been spotted at a guesthouse along Raymond Mhlaba Street in Bloemfontein.
“The information suggested that the individuals were allegedly being hidden at the premises in reaction to the multidisciplinary operation targeting anti-foreigner sentiments during a planned (protests) on the same day.
“Upon arrival at the establishment, police conducted a thorough search of the premises. A total of 18 undocumented foreign nationals were found inside without the necessary legal authorisation to reside in the Republic of South Africa.”
This as government assured citizens that it is actively managing migration through lawful, coordinated and constitutional measures, as planned demonstrations against illegal migration took place across the country on Tuesday.
“The owner of the guesthouse, Mr. Odili, was subsequently summoned to the scene. Following a consultation, he was arrested under Section 40(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act 51 of 1977),” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Odili faces 18 counts of aiding, abetting, assisting, enabling, or helping illegal foreigners in contravention of the Immigration Act.
Separate dockets have also been opened against the 18 undocumented individuals for illegal entry and stay within the country.
The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General, Thabang Lesia, has commended officers for their swift reaction to the information, reiterating that business and property owners, who deliberately bypass the country's immigration laws to harbour undocumented individuals will face the full might of the law. – SAnews.gov.za
