67-year-old tells court that he has been using dagga since liberation war

AN elderly Bulawayo man, who was dragged to the Western Commonage Magistrates’ Court, left the gallery in stitches on Wednesday after revealing he had been addicted to smoking dagga since the liberation war in the 1970s.

Western Commonage Magistrates’ Court was arrested by police following a tip-off from members of the public. A search was subsequently conducted at his house where 362g of dagga were found. He was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of dagga.

Western Commonage magistrate, Mr Mehluli Moyo, convicted Nkomo and fined him US$100. In passing sentence, Mr Moyo took into consideration Nkomo’s advanced age and health.

“While the circumstances of the case in point are trading, in the absence of sufficient proof, the court will take it that the offender possessed the dagga for personal consumption,” said Mr Moyo.

He however, said there was a need for a deterrent sentence so that Nkomo does not commit a similar offence in future.

Mr Moyo fined Nkomo US$100 or four months’ imprisonment.

Prosecutor, Ms Ellen Matenga, said on August 7 at around 10am, police received information that Nkomo had dagga at his house. They went to his house and recovered the dagga from his bedroom.