MILLICENT HUNGWE
Patience Kambarami (46) from was arrested and sentenced to nine months in prison on June 5 around 7pm after she was caught trying to smuggle large quantities of cough syrup.
Patience was on a bus travelling from Johannesburg, South Africa to Malawi, and was caught along the Masvingo-Beitbridge road, after police acted on a tip-off.
According to Masvingo Magistrate Court state prosecutor Anesu Mumbire, police were alerted that a cross-border bus transporting illegal pharmaceutical products was heading toward Malawi via the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway.
The police waylaid the vehicle and later received updated information that the bus had broken down at Lundi.
Officers proceeded to the location and conducted surveillance as the passengers and crew worked to repair the vehicle.
Once the bus was operational and preparing to continue its journey, police approached, identified themselves, and carried out a search.
During the search, Kambarami was found standing next to 12 parcels containing 24 boxes of Bronclear syrup—amounting to 1,300 bottles of 100ml each, valued at approximately US$5,200.
Further inspection of the bus trailer revealed an additional five sealed parcels containing 24 boxes of Astra Pain Cough Syrup, totaling 720 bottles of 100ml, with an estimated value of US$2,160, however no one claimed ownership of the parcels in the trailer.
Kambarami was arrested on the spot and appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Arafat Kozanai, who sentenced her to nine months in prison.
Police have commended the informants who provided the intelligence, saying their tip-off played a critical role in the interception and arrest.
