This is the first conviction of people
whom the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Paul Makonda, named
early this year as dealers in abusive drugs.
Principal Resident Magistrate at the
Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court Huruma Shaidi convicted Nasher, a
reportedly car dealer at Mikocheni suburb, on his own plea of guilty on
possession of small quantity of narcotic drugs and two counts relating
to drug consumption.
The drugs involved in the matter were
heroin hydrochloride, diacetylmorphine and exazepam. Initially, the
accused denied the charges against him, but in yesterday’s proceedings,
he requested the prosecution to re-read the charges. He then changed his
plea.
The court had no other option but to
convict him on all counts. Having considered the advanced mitigation
factors, the magistrate sentenced the accused to pay 500,000/- fine or
go to jail for three years on each count.
The magistrate ordered the jail term to
run concurrently. Before the sentence, the convict pleaded for leniency,
saying he has family responsibilities, including taking care of his
ailing father and it was his first conviction on criminal offence.
He further beseeched the court to have
mercy on him because by admitting to the charges, he had saved the
court’s time and inconveniences in trying the case and that he had spent
time in sobre houses, helping him to quit drugs abuse.
The prosecution led by State Attorneys
Mwana-Amina Komba Kono and Edith Mauye had requested the court to punish
the convict in accordance with the law, considering the seriousness of
the committed offence to serve as a lesson to other people engaged in
the same crimes.
It was alleged that on February 15, this
year, at Victoria Plaza Building in Kinondoni District in the city, the
convict was found in possession of Heroin Hydrochloride weighing
0.49grams. The court heard further that on the same day, the businessman
consumed diacetylmorphine and exazepam.
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