Marijuana re-offender jailed

MULENGA MUSONDA writes A 23-year-old youth will spend not less than 10 years in Jail after he was convicted for trafficking in Marijuana as a second offender. Senior Resident Magistrate Idah Mupemo convicted Martin Kambukifor trafficking in Psychotropic Substances contrary to the Laws of Zambia. Particulars of the offence are that Kambuki on July 31 trafficked in 986 grammes of Marijuana a herbal product of Cannabis Sativa without lawful authority or medical recommendation. When the matter came up in the Choma Magistrates Court for production of previous conviction record, Cyril Hibajene the Clerk Court of produced the record which showed that Kambuki was convicted early this year for trafficking in Marijuana. According to the record, Kambuki was sentenced to 9 months in jail with hard labour though the sentence was suspended 12 months. Despite pleading for forgiveness and asking not to be sent to Prison, Magistrate Mupemo informed him that the minimum sentence for a second offender was 10 years which was beyond her jurisdiction. She committed Kambuki to the High Court for sentencing at its next sitting. The Sun