Zambian woman dies in Ethiopia Prison where she was serving 5 year sentence

A forty-six -year- old Zambian woman by the name of Penelope Munge who was recently sentenced to five years imprisonment in Ethiopia for trafficking in narcotic drugs has died.

According to a report published by Mwebantu, Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Ethiopia, Charge d’ Affaires, Trevor Sichombo, confirmed that Penelope Munge of Itawa in Ndola died on Sunday, 24th July 2022 after suffering from a partial stroke.

He said Ms Munge was admitted to Addis Ababa Burn Emergency Trauma Hospital in the first week of July but was later discharged and readmitted to Kality Prison clinic.

“However she later succumbed to the stroke on Sunday,” he said.
Mr Sichombo said the family of Ms Munge has since been informed of her untimely death.

He further said the family of the late Ms Munge is in Ethiopia and making efforts to repatriate her remains back to Zambia.

Ms Munge was sentenced to five years imprisonment on 21st June 2022 for being in possession of 2.2 kilograms of cocaine, which was implanted in her body.

In her mitigation, Ms Munge had pleaded for leniency, saying she was a first offender and was responsible for taking care of her children because she was a divorcee.

She stated that she had a chronic illness (Hypertension) that needed consistent medical attention.

But in passing judgment, the Ethiopian High Court observed that cases of drug trafficking had become common and were posing a danger to society hence the need to impose custodial sentences on offenders to deter others from committing the crime.

This is according to a statement issued by issued First Secretary for Press and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy Inutu Mupango Mwanza.