A-64-YEAR-OLD woman of Kitwe has been sentenced to one year imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking in two kilogrammes of marijuana.
Mandalena Mulenga was charged with trafficking into psychotropic substances contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Allegations were that on July 11, 2018, in Kitwe, Mulenga trafficked in psychotropic substance namely two kilogrammes of marijuana, a herbal product of Cannabis sativa without lawful authority.
The accused person pleaded guilty to the offence when she appeared before magistrates Dominic Lesa.
The accused told the court that she trafficked into the substance so as to help sustain herself and the orphaned children she was taking care of at her home.
Magistrate Lesa told her that upon her own admission, he had found her “guilty of the offence and was convicting her accordingly.”
In mitigation, Mulenga begged the court to exercise maximum leniency as she was a first offender and was remorseful for what she had done.
But magistrate Lesa said it was unfortunate for an old woman to engage herself into selling drugs as a way of earning a living instead of trading in vegetables.
He said although Mulenga was a first offender who did not waste the court’s time, he was sentencing her to one year imprisonment with hard labour.