Condom Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Months

A SOUTH African college counsellor has been sentenced to 30 months imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking and transporting liquid cocaine she concealed in condoms.

Lusaka magistrate Albert Mwaba jailed Thabisa Mlilwana, 41, an AIDS counsellor at Little Falls College, after she pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking and transporting liquid cocaine in 47 condoms wrapped on her waist.
Mlilwana, of plot number 27 Barbet Street, Mondeor in Johannesburg, was arrested on May 12 this year by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport upon disembarking from an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Venezuela.
“Upon your own admission, I find you guilty and convict you accordingly.
“The offences of drug trafficking involving foreigners bringing drugs to Zambia are on the increase and as such, there is need to deter future offenders.
“I therefore sentence you to 30 months imprisonment with hard labour effective May 13, 2014,” Mr Mwaba said.
He said he had considered the mitigation given on her behalf by lawyer Keith Mweemba.
Mr Mwaba said although Mlilwana is a first offender who deserves leniency, she should be given a custodial sentence to prevent would-be offenders.
In mitigation, Mr Mweemba said Mlilwana is a first offender, widow, and sole breadwinner looking after four children with the youngest being seven years.
He said the court should consider sending Mlilwana to a reformatory institution to help her recover and contribute positively to society as a respon-sible citizen.
Earlier, Mlilwana disputed that she was carrying liquid cocaine weighing 1.509 kgs saying she only had 95 grammes.
“I agree with the facts as read by the State prosecutor and the contraband was found on me but I was only carrying 95 grammes, that is why the co-caine was in 47 condoms,” she said.
This prompted Mr Mweemba to apply that DEC amends the indictment in-dicating that Mlilwana had 95 grammes and not 1.509 kilogrammes of liq-uid cocaine.
But Mr Mwaba said there was no need to amend the indictment because Mlilwana was already charged with trafficking and transporting of narcotic drugs.

Posted by Editor on May 23, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry