Malawi jails Italian-Nigerian for possessing Apormophine

Lilongwe Senior Resident magistrate Shyreen Yona has sentenced an Italian of Nigerian Origin Celestine Success aged 21 who is a refugee to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour for attempting to export dangerous drugs (Apormophine)

State Prosecutor Thomson Chafikana who is also Director of Prosecutions in Malawi Police Services told magistrate Yona that police at Kamuzu International Airport arrested Success as she was about to board Kenyan airways on her way back home.

She concealed the dangerous drug in a laptop bag.

“Chafikana pleaded with the court to pass an immediate custodial sentence because Success knew that she was doing a crime, it is a trans-national crime, to show the world that Malawi has joined other countries against drug trafficking and such cases are becoming rampant in the country,” explained Kamuzu International Airport police publicist Lee Chitonde.

In mitigation counsel for the accused G. Khonyongwa pleaded with the court to pass a suspended sentence since she was a first offender and cited several cases.

He also submitted to the court that the accused had a baby aged 1 and half years and proceeded to tender the photograph of the child since it is in Italy.

“But the court said the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors hence sentencing her to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour with no any other option,” added Chitonde

The illicit drugs Apormophine was destroyed on 15 March, 2018 in the presence of court officials, police and other stake holders.