By SYLVIA MWEETWA –
A FIFTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD woman of Kitwe caught attempting to sneak charms to secure the release of her son from Mukobeko Maximum Prisons in Kabwe has been sentenced to three months imprisonment.
Dorica Mofya pleaded guilty to one count of introducing prohibited articles in prisons.
Mofya, who took plea before Kabwe Magistrate Sebastian Mwenya when the charge was read to her, pleaded guilty, saying she had in possession some traditional medicine which she wanted to smuggle in prison.
She told the court that she wanted to administer the charms on her son Desa Musonda who is incarcerated to enable him be considered for pardoning.
“Your honour, I admit that I was in possession of some African charms which I wanted to administer on my son because I wanted him to be considered for pardoning but sadly the prison authority did not allow me,” she said.
Mofya of Chimwemwe Township on the Copperbelt was facing a charge of introducing prohibited articles in prison contrary to the law.
Mr Mwenya found the accused guilty after she admitted committing the offence.
Prison authorities on the fateful day intercepted the suspected charms as they were about to be sneaked into the prison during visiting hours.
In mitigation, she asked for forgiveness but the court said incidents of people trying to smuggle into prison prohibited articles were on an increase.
The court then sentenced her to three months imprisonment.
“Incidences of people trying to sneak in prohibited articles in the prisons are on the increase and sending you to prison for this offence will serve as a deterrent to other would be offenders,” Magistrate Mwenya said.