A Kilifi court has fined two women Sh30 million each, or sentenced them to 10 years in prison, after convicting them of trafficking 56 kilogrammes of cannabis in Kilifi County.
Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike sentenced Juliana Mala Wesonga and Consolata Anyango Ondongo after finding them guilty of trafficking narcotics valued at Sh1.68 million.
The court heard that the cannabis was recovered from three boxes found in a house in Kilifi North on July 27, 2024.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Wesonga had collected two of the boxes from Wells Fargo Courier and transported them to the house, where both women were found in possession of the narcotics.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Wasike said she had considered the pre-sentence reports, evidence presented during the trial, the conduct of the accused throughout the proceedings and their family circumstances.
The court noted that Ondongo’s children are all adults, with some already employed, while Wesonga has minor children.
However, the magistrate said the gravity of the offence, the quantity and nature of the narcotic, the manner in which it was trafficked and its potential impact on young people in Kilifi and beyond had to be taken into account.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Nancy Njeru urged the court to impose a stiff sentence, saying Kilifi County continues to suffer the effects of drug use and trafficking.
She asked the court to consider the value and nature of the narcotic and the impact of drug trafficking on young people in Kilifi and neighbouring counties.
In mitigation, Wesonga’s lawyer cited her age, health and family circumstances, saying she was the only remaining parent to her children. The defence also told the court that she was remorseful and had learnt from the experience.
Ondongo, a first offender and mother of four, pleaded for leniency, citing a child with special needs and another child in Grade Four who is out of school.
The magistrate, however, maintained that the quantity of drugs and seriousness of the offence warranted a stiff penalty.
The sentence against Wesonga will run from July 29, 2024, while Ondongo’s sentence will run from January 30, 2026.
The court granted the two women 14 days to appeal against their conviction and sentence.