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By Biodun Busari
A Malawian court sitting in the capital city, Lilongwe has convicted a Nigerian man, Chima Okoyi for possessing 17 blisters of cocaine.
The court asked Okoyi, on Friday, to pay a fine of K1.5million which is equivalent to N1 million.
According to the court, the 35-year-old will serve a 12-month jail term with hard labour if he fails to pay the fine slapped on him.
Nigeria Today reports that Lilongwe Police spokesperson, Hastings Chigalu said the court considered to be lenient in its penalty against Okoyi.
Chigalu claimed the clemency was hinged on the fact that Okoyi was a first offender and that the quantity of cocaine found in his possession was small.
The judge, however, agreed with the prosecutors that the Nigerian deserved a stiffer punishment, as prosecutors argued that drug-related cases are prevalent in Malawi having a large chunk of Nigerians as offenders.
Okoyi was nabbed on August 27, 2022 in his home locates at Area 49, Gulliver where the police found the drugs hidden under his bed.
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