Natasia Chang-Tave sentenced to six years imprisonment for drug trafficking |08 September 2020

Natasia Chang-Tave has been sentenced to two prison terms ‒ six years and a fine of R25,000 and four years and a fine of R25,000 ‒ on her plea of guilt on two counts of drug trafficking.

Justice Mohan Burham read out the sentence in the Supreme Court at Ile du Port, yesterday, and the two counts are as follows: trafficking in a controlled drug, and agreeing with another person or persons that a course of conduct shall be pursued and which pursued would necessarily amount or involve importing a controlled drug by one or more of the parties.

The six-year term of imprisonment in count one is to run concurrently with the four-year term of imprisonment in count two. If the convict, who was represented by lawyer Joel Camille, fails to pay the fine, she is to serve a total of seven years imprisonment, inclusive of the default of payment of the fine term of imprisonment. Time spent in remand will count towards the sentence. The convict is entitled to remission at the discretion of the Superintendent of Prisons.

The fine must be paid in monthly instalments of R5,000 after the convict serves her sentence. She is to be produced in court prior to her release to give a review date for the payment of the fine.

Natasia Chang-Tave, 29, is the wife of the first accused Percy Chang-Tave and she has twins aged six years old. She expressed regret at what she has done and showed remorse for her act by pleading guilty to the charge.

Justice Mohan noted that based on earlier sentences in similar circumstances and considering the seriousness of the offence had the convict gone to trial and been convicted, she would have faced a sentence of around 10 to 12 years imprisonment. The recommended sentence for count one is 20 years considering the large quantity of controlled drugs and the fact the control drug is a class A drug, namely heroin and having a net weight of 2569 grammes with a purity of 676.24 grammes.

Gerard Govinden