Convicted South African cocaine dealer seeks Malawi court assistance
A South African cocaine dealer who the court fined MK700, 000 or serve five years in jail after being found guilty of illegal importation of dangerous drug has asked the court to help him liaise with his family and relations in South Africa to raise the demanded sum.
The South African, Siyabonga Kom, 28, was intercepted and arrested at Kamuzu International Airport last week with cocaine weighing 4.2kg which he concealed at the base of his travelling bag.
Nyasa Times understands that Kom had travelled from Sao Paulo International Airport in Brazil to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, connected to KIA, Malawi on Ethiopian Airways.
He appeared before the Mkukula Magistrate Court in Dowa where he pleaded guilty.
In mitigation he asked the court to be lenient considering that he does not have any relation in the country.
First Grade Magistrate Cecilia Onsewa slapped Kom with the MK700, 000 fine saying he deserved a stiff punishment to deter other would-be-offenders.
“We want to send a message to the public and the world at large that we will never allow Malawi to be used as ground for drugs exportation or importation and any related criminal acts,” said the Magistrate.
KIA Police Public Relations Officer Sapulain Chitonde has said that the sentencing, the cocaine was burned in public including Kom witnessed the burning.
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If he was caught in Indonesia,he would have been history by now.Their Kalashnikov are always loaded with bullets for the firing squad to do their job.He should thank God to be caught in Malawi where their laws are flexible.
Bvuto ndilakuti even ma judge samaphunzira zokhudza maweruzidwe,mmaiko ena milandu yofanana ndi luck of knowledge fróm our judges.
Burn him alive as South African did to our fellow Malawian
mwawa chitabwino
R17,500 really? Cocaine of that weight can fetch not less than R20m street value and you charge him just a meager R17,500?
They will be using Malawi knowing sentences too much light,
This guy is joking let him face the consequences for trying to mess with malawi
K700 000 is not dererrent enough. Do you know what the amount is in Rand? His relative will pay without any problems. You should û have sent him to jail without an option of a fine. In other countries, that is straight death penalty. That is a very serious offence.
Mfanayu amazithandiza, so don’t be hard on him. After all the stuff he was carrying was not meant to sold here in Malawi. He was in transit to his mother land. So can you reverse the sentence with please, you worship.
Mupatseni mupata atolele kangachepeko kuti atuluke. Chonde please osamukhomelera, penanso ndi anthu abwino amanewa mudziko lawo. Chonde muthandizeni.
700,000.00 is nothing to a drug dealer like that one!! Just slap him with a prison sentence with no option of a fine!!!