A Special Court (Control of Narcotic Substances) has sentenced a Ugandan woman to seven years ‘ imprisonment for smuggling cocaine after she pleaded guilty of the crime.
Special Court (CNS) Judge Rajesh Chander Rajput convicted the accused Nakawa Edihi of the offence punishable under Section 9 (1) 7 (b) of the CNS Act, 1997 (as amended in 2022).
According to state prosecutor Abdul Hannan, the accused arrived in Pakistan in January after allegedly concealing 11 capsules containing 144 grams of cocaine in her stomach. She was apprehended by an Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) team at the Jinnah International Airport.
However, when she appeared before the court for framing of formal charges, she voluntarily pleaded guilty and prayed for mercy.
On her admission, the court recorded her statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), in which she confessed to the offence.
“I have heard the accused has thoroughly gone through the record of the case. During the framing of formal charge, the accused has admitted her guilt of attempting to import 11 capsules having 144 grams of ‘cocaine’ concealed in her body cavity to Pakistan,” the judge noted.
Reasoning for lesser punishment, the court observed that the accused has repeatedly pleaded guilty by “detailing her poor financial circumstances and from her demeanor.
“This court has concluded that her admission of guilt was voluntarily and free from any coercion whatsoever from any corner,” it added.
In her statement before the court, the accused deposed that she was a single mother of two minor children and was facing financial constraints to meet her daily expenses as she was also a diabetic patient; hence, she committed this crime.
She further claimed to be the first offender, and nothing in the investigation papers suggested that she was a previous convict.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs50,000; on default, she would have to serve additional imprisonment for five days.
According to prosecutor Hannan, a Nigerian national, Stephen Chubuike, was in contact with the prime accused. Later, he was apprehended, and bail was granted to him as nothing was recovered from his possession.
However, at the hearing, he failed to appear before the court; as a result, the court cancelled his surety bond and issued a non-bailable warrant for his arrest.
A case was registered at the ANF Clifton station under Section 9(1) 7(b) of the CNS Act, 1997 (as amended in 2022).
(Dawn)
