By Shaffie A Mtambo
A 49-year-old woman, Esmey Hamisi from Makanjila Village in Mangochi District, is currently being held at Zomba Police Station for attempting to smuggle eight brand new Itel cellphones and loose cannabis sativa into Zomba Maximum Prison.
Speaking with 247 Malawi News Zomba Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Partilia Zilipano,says the incident occurred on April 6, 2025, during a visit to see her relative, Alli Candida, a Mozambican national serving an 18-year sentence for robbery.
Salipilano added that Hamisi had concealed the cellphones, along with five phone chargers, five memory cards, and eight brand new Itel batteries, inside an empty plastic sugar packet within a food basket she brought as a gift for her relative.
However, a thorough search by a prison warder uncovered the hidden items, leading to her arrest.
Following her arrest, Hamisi 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. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by correctional facilities in preventing the smuggling of contraband.
