TANZANIA: Tougher penalties to fight drug trafficking

BY RODGERS LUHWAGO

The government will table an anti-drug trafficking Bill in Parliament for a new, tougher law against the vice in the country, Minister of State in the Prime Minister Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs) William Lukuvi told reporters here.

He said the government and other stakeholders decided to enhance the law after realising that the current No. 9 of 1995 is not sharp enough to fix the nature of the war against the vice.

Lukuvi was presenting the 2011 annual report on the state of war against drugs spearheaded by the anti-drugs unit.

He said despite the Anti Drugs Commission through the police unit stepping up the war against narcotics in the country, suspects arrested have been finding it easy to be freed even after being arraigned in the court of law.

Giving an example, Lukuvi said the current law allows the magistrate or judge presiding over any case involving suspects of drugs trafficking to decide on the sentence for a convicted person.

“The current law gives discretion to the magistrate or judge to either sentence a convicted person to go to prison or pay fine or both. Now, in the new law we want to do away with these choices by clearly stipulating a sentence for the convicted people,’ said Lukuvi.

The minister of State explained that the Bill for the law has been drafted and has gone through various stages including public hearing.

“We will ensure that the new law gives more powers to the actors in the war against this problem and most probably we will table the Bill early next year,’ he said.

The minister also said in the new law a single special and strong anti-drugs institution will be formed. Currently, the Anti-Drugs Commission is under the prime minister’s office while the anti-drugs police unit is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In the annual report presented yesterday cases of drugs trafficking appeared to be on the increase with the number of drugs abusers also going up as well.

Giving statistics, the Minister said last year the anti-drugs unit impounded a total of 264.3 kilogrammes of heroine involving 20 suspects compared to 185.8 kilogrammes impounded in 2010 involving 15 suspects.

As for cocaine, a total of 126 kilogrammes were seized last year compared to 63 kilogrammes impounded the previous year.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (09/11/2012): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=47813