adminBernard Katsande of Katsande Village under Chief Chirinda was arrested last Thursday following a tip-off.
Police have since launched a manhunt for his two accomplices, who are also his brothers Cosmas and Togarasei Mwazienzara who fled following his arrest.
Criminal Investigations Department spokesperson Detective Sergeant Sharon Musendo yesterday said last Thursday police received a tip-off that Katsande was growing and selling mbanje.
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“A team of detectives went to the area and when he realised that the detectives were coming, Katsande fled from his homestead,” she said.
Police went into his garden where they discovered 2 610 plants of mbanje with an average height of 1,5 metres.
It is alleged that while they were in the garden, the detectives saw Cosmas and Togarasei fleeing from their homestead and became suspicious.
Police searched two gardens which were nearby and discovered 2 704 plants of mbanje in Cosmas’ garden and 5 649 more plants in Togaresei’s.
The plants were uprooted and taken to Mutawatawa Police Station.
Investigations later led to the arrest of Katsande. Katsande later led to the recovery of 3,3kg prepared mbanje which was hidden under the bed.
Det Sgt Musendo said Katsande would be charged for cultivation and possession of dagga.
Katsande’s grandfather Mr Ananias Katsande yesterday said he was not aware that the brothers were growing mbanje in their gardens.
“Some time last year we ordered him not to grow the mbanje. All I know is that he has been selling some small satchets containing mbanje at the growth point,” he said.
Sources close to the investigations said last year Katsande is believed to have sold about 450kg of mbanje which he had cultivated in the garden.
When the Herald visited the area, they discovered that Katsande was planting the mbanje plants which were hidden between some banana plants and the security fence which was covered by tall grass.
Sweet potatoes, vegetables and banana trees were also grown in the garden which is about an acre.
It was difficult to see the mbanje plants, from where they were planted, either from the inside or outside the garden. Katsande would also use fertilisers to grow his mbanje.
Police have appealed to anyone with information leading to the arrest of Cosmas and Togarasei to contact any nearest police station. In January, a Malawian truck driver was arrested in Harare after he was found carrying 3 700kg of marijuana stuffed in 41 bags.
Early this month, police in Chinhoyi following up on the theft of aluminium irrigation pipes stumbled upon 95 plants of mbanje leading to the arrest of a 66-year-old man.
Davison Kutchwa (66) of Zimuto Village, Chijaka in Chinhoyi, was under investigation for masterminding the theft of irrigation pipes at Poker Range Farm when police visited his house on May 1.
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