Africa-Press – Malawi. As teenager Mussa John is serving a three year jail term for possessing Indian Hemp, a 38-year-old woman in Mwanza district has been convicted and fined K100, 000 for a similar offence.
The convict has been identified as Jacqueline Mofolo who was arrested on 2nd October at the Mwanza border post when she was about to leave the country.
Following her arrest, Mofolo appeared in court this week where the court heard through state prosecutor, Sub Inspector Kenneth Chatsalira that she was arrested for being found with six kilogrammes of the illicit drug.
Prosecutor Chatsalira said Mofolo appeared before Mwanza Senior Resident Magistrate Court on October 6 where she pleaded guilty and admitted to the charge of possession of chamba without license.
In mitigation, Mofolo asked for court’s leniency, claiming that she has children to take care of but this was objected by the prosecutor who then asked the court to give the convict a stiffer punishment as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
Passing sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Sajda Maiden concurred with the state on the requirement for a stiffer punishment hence, ordered Mofolo to pay K100,000.00 or in default to serve two months imprisonment with hard labour.
Meanwhile, Mofolo who comes from Mtila Village in the area of Traditional Authority Sitola in Machinga district, has already paid the fine. This is happening when teenager John Mussa is serving a three year custodial sentence for a similar offence and was never given an opportunity to pay any fine a development that raised questions amongst Malawians.
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