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Zomba Senior Resident Magistrate Court on Friday, 30 September, 2022 sentenced a 34-year-old woman, Jenipher Jafali to pay a fine of K20,000 in default serve a five months jail term for attempting to smuggle a TNM SIM card into Zomba Maximum Prison.
The court through the state prosecutor Rodrick Kamuona of Zomba Police Station heard that, in the month of June 2022, the convict went to Zomba Central Prison to see her husband who is serving a sentence.
Upon checking the food which she had brought, the prison warder came across a TNM SIM card which was hidden in a lid of the container.
Immediately, she was arrested and brought to Zomba Police Station for further police action.
Appearing before Zomba Senior Resident Magistrate Court, she pleaded not guilty to the charge of bringing in prohibited article into prison which prompted the state to parade two witnesses who proved the case against her beyond reasonable doubt.
In mitigation, she asked for consideration saying she is a bread winner following the conviction of her husband.
In submission, the state prayed for a stiffer punishment, saying such cases are common in Zomba Central Prison hence she deserved a stiffer punishment for others to learn a lesson
When passing sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Taziona Munthali concurred with the state and sentenced her to pay the fine of K20,000.00 in default to spend 5 months in jail to deter would-be offenders.
She comes from Kaunde Village, Traditional Authority Mlunbe in Zomba District.