By Patricia Sipiliano
A 49-year-old woman is behind bars at Zomba Police Station for attempting to sneak eight brand new Itel cellphones and loose cannabis sativa into Zomba Maximum Prison.
The suspect has been identified as Esmey Hamisi from Makanjila Village, under the jurisdiction of Traditional Authority Makanjila in Mangochi District.
On April 6, 2025, she visited Zomba Maximum Prison to see her relative, Alli Candida, a Mozambican national serving an 18-year sentence for robbery since 2020. During the visit, she brought a food basket as a gift for her relative and concealed eight Itel phones, five phone chargers, five memory cards, and eight brand new Itel batteries inside an empty plastic sugar packet.
A prison warder on duty searched the basket, as required by procedure, and discovered the hidden items.
Esmey was taken to Zomba Police Station for questioning and has since been charged with introducing prohibited items into a prison.
She is expected to appear in court soon to face the charges.
