A Siavonga magistrate court has sentenced a Zimbabwean woman to 12 months simple imprisonment for trafficking in marijuana.
Magistrate Bathromeo Kaonga today slapped the 12 months jail sentence on Ndaizivei shumbayaonda, 23 a resident of Malongwana village in Zimbabwe after convicting her of the offence of trafficking in psychotropic substances contrary to section 6 of the narcotic drug and psychotropic substance act chapter 96 of the laws of Zambia.
Facts before the court were that on August 16 this year in Chirundu, Ndaizivei did traffic in marijuana weighing 50 grammes without lawful authority.
The court heard that Ndaizivei was found by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers from Chirundu under a tree at Tukamona area where she was selling Mazoe juice and the said marijuana
DEC officers conducted a search and found a transparent plastic which contained a green vegetable substance which was later tested at a laboratory and found to be canabis weighing 50 grammes.
In passing judgment magistrate Kaonga said from the evidence on record, it was clear that Ndaizivei did traffic in marijuana.
The magistrate noted that the offence committed was a serious one but pointed out that being a first offender, Ndaizivei was entitled to leniency.
And in mitigation, Ndaizivei pleaded for the court’s leniency on the ground that she was a first offender and did not traffic in the substance deliberately.
She said she has a problem of evil spirits and therefore uses marijuana when the spirits attack her and she also uses the drug for her chest problems.
[ ZANIS ]
Camon forgive the lady otherwise her demons will be on you Magistrate. 50 grams you want to arrest and yet people stealing 46 million U.S dollars are left to continue wearing their hand made shoes and kneeling before chiefs in total rebuke of the zambian masses
12 months imprisonment @ lenient? are you sure?
Not fair 50 grams chabe and you want to change her life for good by locking her up for a year.Sad indeed.
Release the lady. 50 gs is nothing.