Court convicts two for illegal possession of drugs in Balaka
Two people have been convicted to three years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) each after being found guilty of stealing and possession of medical drugs illegally.
The two who have been identified as Thokozani Joseph and Bernard Tamwa were arrested in Balaka on 1st December 2016 by Police Officers from the National Police Headquarters and Officers from the Ministry of Health (MoH) Drug Theft Investigations Department.
“The two were indeed arrested on 1st December and they were found with various drugs such as Amoxylin, Tetracycline, DCN tablets, Bactrim, Bottles of Glucose, Benzic Acid, Zince among others,” Balaka Police Public Relations Inspector Edith Kachotsa told Nyasa Times.
“They were selling the drugs at Dziwe Trading Centre and Mbingwa Trading Centre respectively. They both pleaded guilty during court apearance at Zomba Resident Magistrate Court,” added Inspector Kachotsa.
During court hearing, State Prosecutor Assistant Supt. Beatrice Chigawa asked the court to give the two a custodial sentence.
Chigawa said according to Police findings, the two have been in the illegal drug business for so long hence the need for stiff punishment.
She also said they put the lives of people in danger since they are not professionally trained as medical practitioners.
Supt. Chigawa further revealed before the court that the suspects were aware that what they were doing was wrong since they hide some of the drugs under the ground in their respective selling points.
In passing judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate Wyson Nkhata concurred with the state Prosecutor that the two deliberately committed the offence.
He quashed the mitigation presented in courth that they both look after there parents who are old and therefore sentenced the two to three years in jail each which will run concurrently.
Both Joseph 30 and Tamwa 40 hails from Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.
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