THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a University of Zambia student to two years imprisonment for trafficking in 81.3kilograms of cannabis with no lawful authority.
Abel Sambole, 24, of unknown house number in Six Miles, initially pleaded not guilty to trafficking in Psychotropic substances of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
But when the matter came up for commencement of trial, Chief Resident Magistrate Dominic Makalicha read the charge to the accused, Sambole changed his plea to guilty.
Facts before the court read that on November 27, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) received information that there was a suspect trafficking drugs in Chalala area.
Police officers rushed to the scene and on arrival, they began a search and found Sambole’s shop and found him with two 50kg and a half sacks of cannabis.
The police officers on the scene then decided to arrest him.
In mitigation, his lawyer pleaded with the court to give him a suspended sentence since he was a student and still a youth.
Magistrate Makalicha said the offence committed was punishable and considering the quantity of the said drugs, he deserved stiffer punishment.
“Whether one is a student or not, when they make an offence, they should be charged accordingly so that people should respect the law, drugs are a danger to the society,” said magistrate Makalicha.
He then sentenced Sambole to two years imprisonment with hard labor.
