High Court reduces Mussa John's prison sentence from 8 to 3 years

Mussa's mother couldn't hold back her tears and instead cried out for a swap, saying she should serve a sentence on her son's behalf.

Malawi: Mussa John, a 19-year-old man convicted of possessing Cannabis sativa, had his eight-year prison sentence reduced to three years on Thursday.

High Court Judge, Vikochi Chima, delivered her ruling a while ago at Blantyre High Court after other parties appealed his sentence a few months ago.

People gathered at the court were dissatisfied with the ruling, claiming a fine would suffice.

Mussa's mother couldn't hold back her tears and instead cried out for a swap, saying she should serve a sentence on her son's behalf.

Chikondi Chijozi, one of the lawyers representing John, told journalists after the ruling that they would appeal.

If the court does not overturn the earlier ruling, Chijozi believes the boy deserves a suspended sentence rather than a prison sentence.

"This is a regrettable ruling given that our petition before the court was not fully heard; we will engage the client and most likely appeal," she said.

In her ruling, Judge Chima stated that she reduced the sentence due to the offender's age.

During the ruling, she stated that the Magistrate Court that convicted him followed all procedures.