Drug Peddlers Sentenced to Seven Years in Jail

Patience Nhamburo

Three women have been sentenced to seven years each in prison after they were convicted on
allegations of dealing in dangerous drugs.

Patience Murinda, Sibusiso Ndlovu and Karoline Silva Mafra appeared before Harare Regional
Magistrate Ignatio Mhene.

The court heard that on the first of April 2021, Mafra was coming from Brazil, with contraband of dangerous drugs and expected to arrive in Zimbabwe on the 2nd of April. Acting on the information, a
team comprising of detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics Harare, Canine Harare, CID Homicide
Harare and CID Law and Order Harare proceeded to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and
intercepted Mafra.

Murinda and Ndlovu came driving in a blue BMW motor vehicle at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International
Airport to pick Mafra. They were then identified and picked by detectives, interviewed and it was discovered that they were acting on instructions from one Bobby, a Nigerian male adult to receive Mafra
and accompany her to her guest house.

After interviews Murinda and Ndlovu led detectives to their residence where they discovered seven
fabric samples from their bedroom. In between the fabrics were transparent plastics containing a sticky
powder substance suspected to be cocaine, which the detectives seized.

The samples were taken to forensics and they tested positive with a total mass of 242 grams and street
value of USD1.6 million.

Regional Magistrate Ignatio Mhene sentenced the trio to seven years, two of which were suspended on
condition of good behaviour. They will each now serve an effective five years in jail.