“it is a crime to buy tobacco from growers and vendors without a buyer’s license.”
Mkukula Magistrates Court has sentenced four tobacco vendors to pay K150,000 each or if in default, serve 18 months in prison with hard labour for buying tobacco without license.
Senior Resident Magistrate Cecilia Onsewa in her ruling she said the offence committed was so serious and attract penalty of up to K10 Million or five years in prison.
Onsewa observed that the court considered some factors, which include the fact that the accused were the first offenders and that they pleaded guilty to the offence hence the the reduced sentencing.