By Rahim Abdul
The Namwera Second Grade Magistrate’s Court in Mangochi has convicted and ordered 30-year-old Ishmael Dickson, to pay K1.2 million or serve one year and half jail term for possession of assorted medical drugs without authentic documentation.
During court proceedings, Sergeant Fraction Mlosola that, on December 18, 2025 a team of police officers who were on day patrols intercepted the suspect at Namwera Trading Centre while he was riding a Lifo motorcycle from the direction of Chiponde towards Katuli. Officers suspected that Dickson was transporting contraband items after noticing a large carton on the motorcycle.
The convict was stopped and searched, leading to the discovery of assorted medical drugs packed in a carton wrapped in a sack.
The seized drugs included six packets (3,000 capsules) of Amoxicillin, 100 syringes, 100 ampoules of injection water, 900 capsules of Indocid, 289 sachets of Chiponde, 170 Cotrimoxazole tablets, 100 ampoules of Diclofenac Sodium injection, 100 Stopacid tablets, 60 ampoules of Gentamicin injection, 20 Gentamicin ear and eye drops, 110 Omeprazole dispensers, 3,000 Salbutamol tablets, 17 boxes of Diclofenac, and 10 vials of Benzathine Benzylpenicillin injection.
Appearing in court, the convict pleaded guilty and asked for leniency saying he looks after his family. However prosecutor Mlosola requested for a stiffer punishment emphasizing that the convict’s behavior was hazardous and had put communities’ lives at risk, given that he is not a medical practitioner.
In his ruling, Second Grade Magistrate Innocent Kondwani concurred with the state’s submission. He ordered him to pay a fine of K1.2 million in default one year and six months of imprisonment.
Kondwani further ordered that all the medical drugs be forfeited to the Malawi Government.
Dickson hails from Katuli village, Traditional Authority Katuli, Mangochi District.
