Tanzanian jailed in Malawi for drug trafficking

The Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate`s Court on Wednesday sentenced Tanzanian national Salim Nassir Salim (36) to a six-year jail term for drug trafficking.

Salim, from Kyela in Mbeya Region, was arrested at the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe two weeks ago by Malawian immigration and police officials allegedly for being found with 32 pellets of a substance suspected to be cocaine in his stomach.

He was alleged to have taken the illicit drug all the way from Brazil as he headed back to Tanzania via Malawi. Subsequent scanning in hospital confirmed that Salim had indeed swallowed the pellets.

Senior Magistrate Vokochi Ndovie sentenced Salim to a fine amounting to Malawian Kwacha 400,000, equivalent to 3.6 million/- or six years` imprisonment with hard labour in default on convicting him. The accused failed to pay the fine and he was hauled to prison.

Magistrate Ndovie said Salim deserved the punishment ``as part of the international war on drug trafficking`` and the court had an obligation to stop the crime, regardless of whether?the drugs were destined?for Malawi or elsewhere.

He stated that Salim committed an offence by carrying cocaine even if the drugs were in transit since it was contrary to Malawi?s laws on dangerous drugs.

According to police Sub Inspector Christopher Katani, who was prosecuting, Salim was found in possession of 32 pellets of cocaine weighing 518.63 grammes on April 21, 2007.

Each pellet had a street value of about US$135, translating into USD4,320 or 5.4million/-, Katani told the court, asking the court to hand down a harsh sentence to the accused ``because cocaine is one of the main causes of mental problems in people and there is therefore a need to dissuade trafficking in the drug``.

The prosecutor submitted further that, although Salim was a first offender, he deserved a severe deterrent sentence ``because he meticulously planned the offence by concealing the cocaine in his stomach``.

In mitigation, Salim asked the magistrate to be lenient with him because he was a first offender and had a family back home in Tanzania that depends on him.

He also pleaded with the magistrate to pardon him ``on account of the fact that the cocaine was not destined for Malawi and was being taken to Tanzania.

Some Tanzanian businesspeople living in Malawi, who preferred anonymity, told this paper that many East Africans have for long been crossing into Tanzania from Malawi through illegal entry points in Mbeya Region.

They added most East African drug dealers from outside the region would rather connect from Malawi than take direct flights to their respective countries, which makes Malawian police always suspect East Africans connecting through Malawi.

``Why should they be fond of connecting to and from Malawi when they can take direct flights to their respective countries?`` wondered Malawian deputy police spokesperson Kingsley Dandaula.