TANZANIAN NATIONAL WHO SWALLOWED 2 KG OF COCAINE JAILED
THE Tanzanian who admitted having swallowed over 100 pellets of cocaine has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour after being convicted of drug trafficking.
On June 17 this year, Jacob Mzinga was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers who had received information that a suspect was dealing in drugs.
Over 2kilogrammes of cocaine was concealed in the stomach of Mzinga, who had been on a plane from Addis Ababa to Zambia was cornered at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA).
It was established that 39-year-old immigrant was on the flight coming from Sao Paulo in Brazil via Addis Ababa and would arrive on July 17, 2023 at 01:25 hours.
Lusaka chief resident magistrate Davies Chibwili heard on the material day, DEC officers positioned themselves in the arrivals hall and later spotted the suspect who was about to exit to customs hall.
The accused was later apprehended and taken to Kenneth Kaunda Airport police for further investigations.
Around 04:18 hours, Mzinga requested to be taken to the toilet where he excreted 11 pellets of suspected narcotics before he was transferred to the University Teaching Hospitals for an x-ray.
While at UTH, about 11:35 hours, the suspect excreted 12 pellets of suspected narcotics before being moved Lusaka province police office where he again excreted 26 pellets of suspected narcotics.
On July 19, 2023, around 09:00 hours, he excreted 15 pellets of suspected narcotics and another 20 more.
A day later, Mzinga again seven more pellets of suspected narcotics bringing the total to 111.
A public analyst tested the suspected drugs and found them to be 2.464kg of cocaine.
Before being jailed, the convict, through his lawyer, pleaded for mercy because he is a first offender and readily admitted the charge without wasting the courts time.
He apologised for his actions not and urged the court to exercise maximum leniency .
However, the magistrate noted that the drugs in question were substantial.
Mwebantu