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Codelia Mondela, Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO magistrate has granted bail to two men who were found with more than 9kgs of Khat – a dangerous drug – and dismissed the bail application of a woman who was found in possession of 3,14kg of cocaine.
Ms Adelaide Mbeure ordered Mufaro Shava (43) and Chinembiri Ndadyei (45) to pay $300 each and return to court tomorrow for provision of a trial date.
Shava, a pharmacist in the United Kingdom and Ndadyei, a builder from Nkulumane suburb in Bulawayo, were arrested after they were found with the dangerous drug which has a street value of $135 500.
In her bail ruling, Ms Mbeure said the State had failed to give reasons on how Shava would influence Ndadyei to abscond when the court would order him to surrender his travelling documents with the clerk of court.
“The State suspects that accused two will be influenced by Shava but there is no evidence to support that. The State has also stood on two reasons in opposing bail, are there no other reasons that the court has?” asked Ms Mbeure.
“Bail is hereby granted to the accused persons. Each of the accused persons should deposit $300, reside at given addresses and report twice a week to the nearest police stations.”
Prosecuting, Mr Tawurai Hondoyemoto said Shava and Ndadyei, who are facing charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs for the purpose of dealing in that drug, were arrested last week.
Police received a tip-off last Friday that Shava was allegedly carrying illegal drugs and they intercepted him at the Bulawayo Courier after he received a package.
“They took him to CID Drugs where they opened the parcel and discovered that it had dried leaves of Khat plant, which is a dangerous drug which weighed 9,020kgs and has a street value of $135 300.”
Meanwhile, Kwanele Sibanda (26) from Johannesburg, who is alleged to have contacted Tholiwe Sheron Tshuma (25) of Emganwini suburb to collect 3,14kg of cocaine with a street value of $314 300 on her behalf while she was in South Africa, was denied bail.
Ms Mbeure dismissed Sibanda’s bail application, saying she was a flight risk since she had entered the country through illegal means.
“The facts submitted here are insufficient to warrant the accused person to be granted bail. The reason that she is a flight risk still remains and I believe that it is a proper ground to deny her bail,” she said.
“Accused person used unlawful means to enter into the Zimbabwean borders and what will stop her from leaving through the same means. The bail application is hereby dismissed.”
Sibanda’s trial will start on June 28.
Mr Hondoyemoto said Sibanda, who is facing charges of dealing in dangerous drugs, was arrested last month at Beitbridge while enroute from South Africa.
The prosecutor said Sibanda phoned one Sheron Tholiwe Tshuma telling her to collect 3,14kg of cocaine and forward it to South Africa where she would receive it.
Shava and Ndadyei are represented by Mr Byron Sengweni of Sengweni Legal Practitioners while Sibanda is represented by Mr Bob Sansole of Tanaka Law Chambers.
@MondelaC
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