Bolivian man pleads guilty to drug trafficking

By JUSTINA MULENGA A 27-year-old Bolivian national has pleaded guilty to trafficking 2.1kg of cocaine that was wrapped in condoms and concealed in fifty five deodorant roll-on bottles when he was intercepted at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) in Lusaka.

Veizaga Arias Steven has however denied another charge of importation of Narcotics Drugs contrary to Section 7 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act Chapter 96 of the Laws of Zambia. This is in a case in which, Veizaga Arias Steven, is alleged to have on February 18th 2018 trafficked and imported 2.1kg of cocaine wrapped in condoms and concealed in fifty five deodorant roll- on bottles.

When the matter came up for plea yesterday before Lusaka Magistrate, Mwandu Sakala, the accused pleaded guilty to count one, and not guilty to count two.

In his admission, he told the court he was told that he was transporting cosmetics to a person he did not know.

He said he did not know the contents until he was arrested at KKIA because he was just instructed to deliver the goods and return to Bolivia.

“Yes I admit to have been found with the said items as I was told they were cosmetics to be transported to someone, but they were not my items,” he told the court.

Particulars of the offence in count one are that, Steven, on February 18 2018 in Lusaka, did traffick in narcotics drugs namely 2.1 kilogramms of cocaine without lawful authority.

In count two, the accused on the same date in Lusaka, did import narcotics drugs namely 2.1 kilograms of cocaine without lawful authority. The Bolivian national was intercepted at KKIA upon arrival from Rio de Janeiro via Angola aboard an Angolan Airlines flight.

The matter comes up on March 6 2018 for facts in respect of count one, and March 13 2018 for start of trial in count two.