CHALI MULENGA  – Livingstone
A 38-YEAR-OLD man of Zambezi sawmills township in Livingstone has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment with hard labour by the Livingstone Magistrate’s Court for trafficking in over 54 grammes of marijuana.
This was in a case in which Katongo Malambo was charged with trafficking in a psychotropic substance.
Malambo on September 21 this year in Livingstone, trafficked in 54.02 grammes of marijuana , a herbal product of cannabis sativa without lawful authority.
Passing the sentence last Wednesday, magistrate Benjamin Mwewa said he would send Malambo to prison for a little while so that he can reflect on his actions.
Mr Mwewa said the court has a duty to punish drug offenders and to curb the vice.
He said the court would impose a punitive sentence on Malambo to deter would-be offenders.
Mr Mwewa said he would send Malambo to prison despite the fact that he is a first offender who admitted the charge without wasting the court’s time.
“The court has considered what you have said in mitigation and that you a first offender, I will send you to prison for 10 months imprisonment with hard labour. It is effective from the date of your arrest and I will grant you leave to appeal to the High Court within 14 days if you are not satisfied with my sentence,” Mr Mwewa said.
Facts before court are that DEC officers in Livingstone received information that Malambo was in possession of suspected marijuana in Zambezi sawmills township and they went there and apprehended him.
In mitigation, Malambo appealed with the court to exercise leniency on him because he is the sole breadwinner of the family.
Malambo apologised for his actions and vowed never to commit a similar offence in future.