Angolan drug mules admit guilt

FIVE Angolan nationals who were arrested in mid-April after they were caught carrying cocaine into Namibia in their intestines all pleaded guilty to drug-dealing charges in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

After five weeks in custody following their arrest, all of the five men told Magistrate Claudia Claasen that they were guilty of dealing in cocaine. All of them admitted that they brought cocaine into Namibia on April 14 and 15 respectively after they had swallowed plastic capsules of the drug at the end of visits to São Paulo in Brazil.All of them also claimed that their original intention had been to travel to São Paulo to buy clothing that they wanted to resell back home in Angola.At the end of their visits to the Brazilian city, though, they agreed to swallow the capsules of cocaine and carry the drugs back to Africa inside their digestive systems, they informed the court in written plea explanations.The five men admitted that they brought 4,585 kilograms of cocaine, valued at more than N$2,292 million, into Namibia when they landed at Hosea Kutako International Airport outside Windhoek on their way back from Brazil to Angola.A sixth suspect, Ditomena Nzuzi Jisela (27), was also arrested at the airport after the five men had been taken into custody. It is alleged that some 200 grams of cocaine emerged from her digestive system after her arrest. Jisela however managed to escape from the Police holding cells at the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on April 20.The first of the five to be arrested was Celestino Massibi. He admitted on Wednesday that he had 1,35 kg of cocaine, valued at N$675 000, in his intestines when he was picked out for a search after his arrival at the airport on April 14.The other four smugglers were arrested on April 15.Nelson Francisco Alexandre (25) admitted that he was carrying 1,33 kg of cocaine, valued at N$665 000, inside his body on his arrival at the airport.Anacleto Mubine (41) admitted he had 860 grams of the drug, valued at N$430 000, in his intestines. Kunga Baberto (40) admitted he had swallowed 590 grams of cocaine, valued at N$295 000, and Antonio Twema (41) admitted he was bringing 455 grams of cocaine, valued at N$227 500, into the country.According to plea explanations by Alexandre and Mubine, who are both represented by defence lawyer Christian Nambahu, and by Massibi, who was represented by defence lawyer Vetu Uanivi, they had travelled by road from Luanda to Windhoek early in April. From Windhoek, they took flights to South Africa and on to São Paulo, with their plan being to buy clothes in that city and to sell these for a profit after returning to Angola, they claimed.In São Paulo they met a certain Mr Anderson, who persuaded them to swallow capsules of cocaine to transport the drugs to Angola, they stated.Alexandre and Mubine both claimed that this was their first involvement in criminal activities, and in a drug-related offence in particular.Twema and Baberto, who were both represented by Uanivi, stated in their plea explanations to the court that they had travelled from Luanda to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on February 28 already. From there, they travelled to South Africa and then to São Paulo, where they spent several weeks. The purpose of their trip was also to buy clothing that they wanted to sell back in Luanda, they claimed.On the last day of their stay in São Paulo, though, they agreed with a certain Mr Umberto that they would swallow cocaine to take the drugs to Luanda and deal in it there, they stated.On questions put by Magistrate Claasen, all five of the men admitted that they knew that cocaine is an illegal substance and that they were committing a crime when they decided to transport the drugs.They are scheduled to return to court on June 24 for the hearing of evidence and arguments before they are sentenced.In terms of the Abuse of Dependence-producing Substances and Rehabilitation Centres Act of 1971, under which the five men were charged, they can be sentenced to a maximum fine of N$30 000 or 15 years’ imprisonment at most, or to both such a fine and jail term, if this was the first time that they have been convicted of dealing in dangerous dependence-producing drugs.Public Prosecutor Meriam Kenaruzo represented the State with the plea proceedings on Wednesday.