Porpular Tanzanian fashion blogger and Youtuber Shamim Mwasha together with her husband Abdul Nsembo have been sentenced to life in prison for drug trafficking.

The Tanzania High Court Corruption and Economic Crime Division on Wednesday March 31 said the Prosecution convincingly proved its case against the suspects Abdul Nsembo, 45, and his wife Shamimu Mwasha, 41.

The court heard that Nsembo and Shamimu were, on May 1, 2019, caught in possession of heroin, which they were selling to Mbezi Beach residents in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam.

Giving his ruling on the case, High Court judge, Elinaza Luvanda, ordered that the couple’s property, including a Land Rover Discovery vehicle, be repossessed by the State.

Mwasha, who has been a fashion blogger for over a decade, married her husband in June 2013 at a colorful wedding in Dar, having first met in Japan. Apart from blogging, Mwasha had also been running her clothing line stores in Daresalaam which she had popularised through her blog and Youtube channel, Zeze Tv.

According to Tanzanian Drugs and Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Drugs Act, anybody found in possession or doing any act, or opts to do any act or thing in regards to narcotic drugs, has committed an offence. Upon conviction, the person is liable to a fine of Tsh10 million shillings (Sh500,000) or three times the market value of the narcotic drugs, or whichever value is greater.

The couple has a 14-day window to appeal the court’s ruling.