adminArron Nyamayaro
KAROLINE Silver Mafra, the Brazilian national who has become a social media star overnight, was acquitted of drug peddling charges in July last year.
She is now appealing for help to buy an air ticket to return home.
The 23-year-old has been stuck at Chikurubi Female Prison as she does not have the funds to return to Brazil.
Her papers were not in order, when she was arrested, which means she cannot be allowed to roam freely in this country.
Karoline was arrested on April 2, 2021, together with Sibusiso Ndlovu and Patience Murinda, for allegedly dealing in heroin.
Murinda was convicted on July 20 last year and slapped with an effective five-year jail term.
Ndlovu and Karoline were cleared of all charges after a full trial.
Despite her acquittal, Karoline has been unable to leave Zimbabwe and remains stranded in prison without the means to return home.
“I was found not guilty in court, but my challenge is that I have no money to buy an air ticket to return to my country,” said Karoline.
Police had received information that Karoline was travelling from Brazil with a contraband of drugs and was expected to arrive in Harare on April 2, 2021.
Detectives from CID Homicide and CID Law and Order waited for her flight at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and arrested her.
Murinda and Ndlovu, who were waiting to pick up Karoline at the airport, were also arrested.
Police allegedly found 242 grammes of heroin from Murinda and Ndlovu’s bedrooms on April 8, 2021.
Karoline drew the attention of H-Metro readers when her picture appeared alongside convicted thief, Mai TT, at a party at Chikurubi Female Prison on Monday.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge