The Lilongwe senior residence magistrate court has on Tuesday sentenced a 22-year-old woman Linda Chinula to serve three years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for smuggling cocaine into the country.
Chinula was arrested by the police on 25 November, 2016 at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) when she was coming from Togo.
States prosecutor, Assistance Police Commissioner of the police Nappier Thomson Chafikana told the court that Chinula was a first offender who needs an immediate custodial sentence.
” Your worship, the accused person admitted the crime without wasting our time, on top that she is a first offender who needs immediate custodial sentence,” said Chafikana.
During mitigation, Chinula asked the court to be lenient saying ” I am looking for three orphans and my mother as well as having a three-year-old child.”
However, Senior residence magistrate Her Worship Yona sentenced Chinula three years IHL for importation of drugs and two years IHL for being found in possession of dangerous drugs.
Yona said that the sentence will run concurrently with no option of a fine.
Chinula hails from Lambalamba village in the area of Traditional Authority Chindi in Mzimba district.
Atumbuka tsopano mwayambapo yanu yija.