CHOMA HEROIN DEALER JAILED

MULENGA MUSONDA writes

THE Choma Magistrates Court has slapped a six-year jail sentence on a 23-year-old youth who scored 13 points at Grade 12 after he admitted trafficking in 88 sachets of heroin.

Mundia Shiwisha of Choma’s Zambia Compound was charged with two counts of trafficking in psychotropic substances.

Particulars of the offence in count one are that on June 5 Shiwisha trafficked in 88 sachets of heroin weighing 5.28gms without lawful authority.

In count two, Shiwisha was accused of being in possession of 600.30gms of marijuana without lawful authority or medical recommendation.

The matter came up before principal resident magistrate Exnobert Zulu for the reading of facts.

Senior public prosecutor Charles Chinzai read the facts which were that Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers received a tip from members of the public that an unidentified person was selling illicit drugs to members of the public in Zambia Compound.

The officers rushed to the compound where Shiwisha was identified and when they searched his house they recovered the drugs hidden in a bag.

In mitigation defence counsel Melissa Tatila from Legal Aid Board begged the court to be lenient with Shiwisha because he was remorseful of his actions and that he was still youthful.

The lawyer said if given a second chance Shiwisha could contribute positively to the development of Zambia.

Magistrate Zulu said he had considered the fact that Shiwisha was a first offender who had readily admitted the charge.

But he said a custodial sentence would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.

“I have heard what you have said in your mitigation and it is very sad that I have to send a young intelligent person to jail. As you are aware drug trafficking is rife in our communities.

“I hereby sentence you to six years imprisonment with hard labour in count one and 18 months with hard labour in count two effective from the date of arrest. The sentences will run concurrently,” magistrate Zulu said.