Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A 25-YEAR-OLD woman from Harare has been sentenced to an effective eight years in prison for smuggling more than 11kg of mbanje and a consignment of banned cough syrup into the country through Beitbridge Border Post.
Elizabeth Marikafu was arrested on Tuesday during a routine border operation targeting drug smuggling syndicates operating between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
She appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to charges of possessing dangerous drugs and unauthorised dealing in restricted medicines, in violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act and the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.
Marikafu was sentenced to 10 years in jail, with two years conditionally suspended for five years, leaving her to serve an effective eight years behind bars.
In addition, she was fined US$100 for dealing in prohibited medicines, and risks an additional 30 days imprisonment if she fails to pay the fine.
The smuggling attempt was foiled during a routine search of travellers at the Beitbridge Border Post’s bus terminal, where her luggage was flagged during scanning procedures. A subsequent physical search led to the discovery of 11,4kg of mbanje and 12 bottles of Benylin cough syrup containing codeine, a controlled substance under Zimbabwean law.
Authorities said the arrest was part of intensified efforts to curb the flow of illicit substances across the country’s borders.
Beitbridge, the country’s busiest inland port of entry, is often used as a transit point for smuggling drugs and other contraband. Security agencies have recently stepped up surveillance operations in response to a surge in cross-border drug trafficking.
Bongani Ndlovu