The Kasama Subordinate Court has fined a Kasama businessman K3,000 or, in default, serve four months simple imprisonment for operating a drug store without a license.
Bright Musonda, 27, of Musenga Township, pleaded guilty to the charge of selling medicines in a place that is not a pharmacy or health facility contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Facts before Resident Magistrate Samson Mumba are that, on 14 April, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) office received information of the accused dealing in illegal activities and followed up the matter.
The officers later confiscated assorted drugs from the accused person’s shop.
In mitigation, Musonda pleaded for leniency as he had no one to pay for his education and raised money through the sales from the shop.
He also pledged to abide by the rules governing the sale of drugs.
And Magistrate Mumba, sentenced him accordingly, considering his mitigation and for not wasting the court’s time.
Meanwhile, a couple caused laughter in the court after they were made to reconcile after the husband withdrew the assault case.
Facts of the matter is that Esnart Chileshe, 27, was facing the charge of Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm after she pushed her husband Webster Choomba 32 and hit him with an object on the left side of the eye and fell down.
The suspect was remanded at Milima Correctional Facility for about two weeks and walked to her freedom with a caution that they need to show love to each other rather than resort to fighting.
The couple was then asked to demonstrate in court how they would show that oneness to each other and hugged one another.
There are medicines like Panadol and some cough syrups that are found in general wholesales that don’t even have pharmaceutical licenses. What has ZAMRA done about them? There are also drugs wholesales that sell to whoever walks in. Isn’t it a requirement that only licensed dealers should stock these items? Some of these are stocked by tunthemba. Why people default on these regulations is that most pharmacists are lazy. They want to make money by just appending their signature on documents and pretend to offer a service. How many of them run drug stores? They’re just a nuisance
If f00Iish masebo can do the same, why can’t this man also do likewise.