Drug dealer sentenced to 12 years
The Oshakati Regional Court has sentenced an Angolan man to an effective 12 years imprisonment for dealing in cannabis, illegally entering Namibia through an undesignated point and money-laundering.
Magistrate Leopoldt Hangalo on Wednesday sentenced Kanu Santos Miguel to 10 years in prison for dealing in cannabis, two years for illegally entering Namibia and five years for money-laundering. However, the dagga dealing and money-laundering sentences will run concurrently, which means an effective 12-year sentence.
Miguel was arrested on 23 August 2014 at Ongwediva and he has been in custody ever since.
His lawyer Mukaya Nyambe asked the court to give his client a fine in respect of the dealing in cannabis charge, and a suspended sentence for the other two charges, while arguing it must also be considered that he has spent a considerable amount of time behind bars after his arrest.
Hangalo, however, said State prosecutor Nelao Ya France had argued that Miguel does not respect the laws of the country and that he should have learnt his lesson from a first conviction some years ago.
“The court has a duty to protect members of society. Drugs paralyse societies. You are not a first-time offender and seemingly have not learnt any lesson from your previous conviction,” Hangalo said.
According to evidence presented in court, Miguel hid the key of the toilet where the cannabis was found and pretended not to know where it was when the police approached him.
Miguel told the court he would never again attempt to bring cannabis into Namibia.
He also informed the court he was having nightmares about his children, as he feared his absence and a lack of monetary support would lead them to end up in prison like him.
He said he has eight children, six of whom are in Angola, while two are in Namibia. He told the court that one of the mothers is mentally ill, while the others are unemployed.
ILENI NANDJATO
Magistrate Leopoldt Hangalo on Wednesday sentenced Kanu Santos Miguel to 10 years in prison for dealing in cannabis, two years for illegally entering Namibia and five years for money-laundering. However, the dagga dealing and money-laundering sentences will run concurrently, which means an effective 12-year sentence.
Miguel was arrested on 23 August 2014 at Ongwediva and he has been in custody ever since.
His lawyer Mukaya Nyambe asked the court to give his client a fine in respect of the dealing in cannabis charge, and a suspended sentence for the other two charges, while arguing it must also be considered that he has spent a considerable amount of time behind bars after his arrest.
Hangalo, however, said State prosecutor Nelao Ya France had argued that Miguel does not respect the laws of the country and that he should have learnt his lesson from a first conviction some years ago.
“The court has a duty to protect members of society. Drugs paralyse societies. You are not a first-time offender and seemingly have not learnt any lesson from your previous conviction,” Hangalo said.
According to evidence presented in court, Miguel hid the key of the toilet where the cannabis was found and pretended not to know where it was when the police approached him.
Miguel told the court he would never again attempt to bring cannabis into Namibia.
He also informed the court he was having nightmares about his children, as he feared his absence and a lack of monetary support would lead them to end up in prison like him.
He said he has eight children, six of whom are in Angola, while two are in Namibia. He told the court that one of the mothers is mentally ill, while the others are unemployed.
ILENI NANDJATO
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