Inmate Scam Ring: Woman Arrested for Smuggling Cellphones into Zomba Prison
A 49-year-old woman has been arrested at Zomba Maximum Prison after attempting to smuggle in eight brand-new cellphones and cannabis—an act authorities believe is linked to the growing scourge of inmates scamming people through illicit phone communication.
The suspect, Esmey Hamisi, hails from Makanjila Village under Traditional Authority Makanjila in Mangochi District. She was arrested on April 6, 2025, during a visit to see her relative, Alli Candida, a Mozambican national currently serving an 18-year sentence for robbery since 2020.
According to Zomba Police, Hamisi arrived at the prison with a food basket supposedly meant for her incarcerated relative. However, during a routine security check, a vigilant warder uncovered eight Itel mobile phones, five phone chargers, five memory cards, and eight batteries, all cleverly concealed inside an empty plastic sugar packet. A small quantity of loose cannabis sativa was also found.
She was immediately detained and transferred to Zomba Police Station, where she was formally charged with introducing prohibited items into a prison facility.
Law enforcement and prison authorities have long warned about the escalation of a coordinated network of scams originating from behind bars, with inmates using smuggled phones to impersonate officials, extort money, and orchestrate sophisticated fraud schemes targeting unsuspecting citizens.
“This arrest is just the tip of the iceberg,” said a senior prison official who requested anonymity. “We are seeing a rise in cases where inmates operate like criminal enterprises—sending fake messages, making distress calls, and swindling people using mobile phones that are smuggled in through visitors.”
In recent years, there has been a significant surge in complaints from the public, many of whom report losing money after falling victim to these prison-based scams. Authorities believe this growing racket is sustained by corrupt prison guards and outside collaborators who sneak in gadgets in exchange for cash.
Hamisi is expected to appear in court soon. Meanwhile, prison officials have pledged to intensify security measures and visitor screenings to curb the inflow of prohibited items and dismantle inmate scam operations from within.