A young Durban university student on an overseas scholarship in India is languishing in a cold and crowded prison cell after being nabbed in a drug bust by police.
Rosita Miriam Thangavalu, 22, of Trennance Manor in Phoenix was arrested by Osmania University police earlier this month for being in possession of nine grams of cocaine.
She was pursuing a law degree through the university and is now awaiting news from her family in Durban in the hope of raising enough money for her bail application .
According to international news reports, Rosita and her friend Patrick Emario, 29, a drug pedlar from Uganda, were delivering the drugs to clients in Tarnaka in Andhra Pradesh when they were nabbed in a sting operation.
Police surveillance over a period of time found that Emario had convinced Rosita to assist him in supplying cocaine.
Rosita apparently told police that since she was getting a meagre scholarship she decided to assist Emario and received a commission.
Emario is reported to have been a repeat drug offender, having been arrested thrice (in 2007, 2010 and 2011) by the Hyderabad police for peddling cocaine and other banned drugs. He came to India in 2005 on a student visa.
“Rosita leads a luxurious life. The duo have been selling cocaine to their customers at Rs2 000 to Rs3 000 (between R333 and R500) per gram,” police said.
On Monday POST visited the home of Rosita’s parents in Trennance Manor, Phoenix.
Neighbours described the couple as “church-going people” and appeared unaware of the arrest.
Rosita’s mother refused to allow a POST reporter and photographer into her home and spoke to them while she stood on the verandah.
“Just get off the property. We will sue the newspaper if anything is published. My pastor has advised us not to say anything and we don’t want to say anything,” said Rosita’s mother.
Pastor EJ Moodley from Bethsaida Ministries International in Clayfields said the family had told him that their daughter was in “some sort of trouble” and that they had saved enough money to travel to India to visit her.
He said he was unaware of the trouble Rosita was in.
“The family said they didn’t have too much information and that is the reason why I advised them not to say anything in the media.”
According to Rosita’s Facebook account, she had last visited South Africa in May this year.
Her status update read: “After two years. . . . Back to SA tomorrow.”
Six days after Rosita’s arrest the director of Osmania University, where she studied, sent out an emergency notice via their website addressing foreign students.
It read: “It has come to the notice of the university authorities that some of the foreign students are indulging in consumption and trading of narcotic drugs like cocaine and ganja while pursuing their studies at Osmania University.
“Therefore all the foreign students are hereby advised to keep in mind the following guideline/ legal position:
“All foreign students are strictly prohibited from using drugs, supplying drugs and indulging in other forms of trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
“Under the Indian laws all the drug-related offences are non-bailable, cognizable and noncompoundable and the maximum punishment shall extend to life imprisonment.”
Department of International Relations spokesman Clayson Monyela said they were aware of the incident.
“As soon as a South African is arrested the department is notified. However, we are unable to divulge any information about the incident. All I can say is that we are offering the family consular services.”
Director Lesley Jacob of the Indian Cultural Centre at the Consulate General of India said they were aware of the incident but the matter was being dealt with at their head offices in Delhi.
Jacob said Rosita had applied for the scholarship almost three years ago and was a good student who excelled academically.
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