A 30 year old woman of Lusaka’s Chawama compound has been convicted by the Chipata Magistrate Court for trafficking in psychotropic substances.
Helen Chirwa stood charged with one count of trafficking in psychotropic substances contrary to the laws of Zambia.
The state called three witnesses to prove their case while Chirwa gave evidence on oath in defense but did not call any witness after the court found her with a case to answer.
Facts of the matter are that, Chirwa on July, 17, 2018 did traffic in 18 by 90kg bags of marijuana weighing, 1440kgs without lawful authority.
Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers managed to intercept the truck on July, 17 around 02.00hrs which was carrying loose cannabis near St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church after a tip off from members of the public.
In passing judgment, Senior Resident Magistrate Bornface Mwala said the state had proved the case beyond any reasonable doubt and convicted her accordingly.
Magistrate Mwala has since adjourned the matter to February, 28 for mitigation and sentence as the lawyer for the convict Senior Legal Aid Counsel John Phiri was not before court to mitigate on behalf of Chirwa.
Meanwhile, two security guards working at Red Sea Company have been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for theft.
Chilizani Phiri 25 of Munga and John Phiri 37 of Mchini compound respectively were charged with one count of theft contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that the two on February, 18, 2018 jointly whilst acting together did steal two crates of Eagle beer valued at K268 property of Red Sea.
The two pleaded guilty to the subject offence and were convicted accordingly.
In mitigation, Phiri said he was married with two children who depend on him while Banda said he was a family man with three children and was taking care of his blind mother hence asking for lenience.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Mwala said he had considered what was said in mitigation but that the offence that the duo committed was a felony and very serious which is common in Chipata.
Magistrate Mwala said the two were employed to stop thievery and it was sad that they are the ones who were stealing.
He said he was sentencing the two to 12 months imprisonment each with hard labour effective the date of arrest so as to serve as a lesson to others.
We are just loosing out by arresting people, this is a very good cash crop. Scientific data shows that the crop is not as demonized as it being put, it is even better than the legalised alcohol
Just look at this nonsense the fact that this woman did not have proper legal representation and had to resort to Legal Aid as a result of not having enough funds is a clear sign that an injustice is taking place here. Legal Aid lawyers are the worst in Zambia and are just crooks who under the guise of being funded are stealing from both donors and their clients whom they are known to charge which brings one to question why they call themselves Legal Aid? Marijuana s being legalised in SA, Swaziland, Uganda and Rwanda but backwardness is rife in Zambia. Her Lawyer couldn’t even show up, release the woman and put her on community service as oppossed to sending her to a death camps prison where she will just whether away, let’s have a heart for our fellow humans.
After all the failures we are now used to, coming from the PF the least they can do for us is legalising dagga.Not only will this be an avenue for the needed forex but even for job creation as well.Hallo Mr President,since we cant see the one million jobs is this not an opportunity for your adminstration to make up for it’s shortcommings?
18 bags, That is alot of dobo. However: 18 x 90kg is NOT 1440kg
Last year in December or so they were 3 Chinese national who where cultivating ichamba on same scale, after arrest they were only told to pay K2,000.00 as penalty for the offense. For our sister you will hear abnormal sentencing your own citizen.
Good one.
She may get 1440 years, 1 year per kg.
If it was a Chinese,they would have only given them a 2,000 kwacha fine, this is not justice, wasted years for real
I smoke that good stuff
The magistrate is a sell out. How he could say the two committed serious offence is a joke just for stealing two creates of beer, not violence used. Waste of tax payer’s money and govn’t resources and police time. I warning or termination of employment would have been appropriate. Go after big fish the president, the cabinet ministers and mp.
These are some of the things we should remember when we go to the polls in 2021, fire tenders, ambulances, chitotela, chawama MP, etc.
Sweet haze blow