WINDHOEK – The two women caught with 20,1kg of Ephedrine were not at court yesterday for their scheduled appearance, since the police failed to transport them from Walvis Bay where they are in custody.
Prosecutor Seredine Jacobs informed Magistrate Tuvoye Nuule that arrangements were not made with the police to bring 26-year-old Zimbabwean national, Pricilla Masa, and 38-year old South African citizen Sisa Heather Buthelezi from Walvis Bay. She asked the court to issue an order that the police bring the accused to court today for the case to be transferred to another court. Magistrate Nuule granted the request and ordered that the investigating officer must assure the attendance of Masa and Buthelezi at court today or else he or the unit commander must come to court and explain why the court order was not carried out.
At an earlier appearance the legal representative of Masa and Buthelezi, Vetuu Uanivi, indicated to the court that his clients wished to plead formally to the charge of dealing in potentially dangerous dependence producing drugs. This was after the State informed Uanivi that they were withdrawing the charge of contravening Section 29 of Act 13 of 2003, which prohibits importing medicine without medicatory authorisation.
Uanivi earlier told this reporter that he seriously considered pleading guilty on the medicine charge, but that after the State’s turnaround he advised his clients against that course of action. Ephedrine is one of the main ingredients used in the making of flu medicines and appetite suppressants and is also a sought-after ingredient in the making of habit forming drugs such as ‘tik’ – a highly addictive drug popular in the Western Cape and ecstasy, a drug popular with nightclub patrons.
The suspects were apprehended on Monday, 17 December, 2012 at a guesthouse in Windhoek after apparent suspicious behaviour on their part was relayed to the police and the drug unit was dispatched to the scene where a search revealed 20,1kg of the powder in hidden compartments of their luggage. It is alleged that Masa was in possession of 9,930kg of the drug valued at N$5 million, while Buthelezi is said to had 10,260kg of the substance in her luggage valued at N$5 million as well.
Roland Routh