$70K mbanje peddler jailed four years

Amanda Ncube, Sunday News Reporter
A 40-year-old Bulawayo man who was found in possession of dagga with a street value of $70 000 has been convicted and sentenced to four years in prison.

Farai Aruchipetu from Pumula South, however, pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube last week.

In sentencing Aruchipetu, Ms Dube said: “You are therefore sentenced to four years in prison, two years is suspended on condition you don’t commit the same crime. A total of 66,7kg of dagga will be forfeited to the State.”

However, his friend Shepherd Town was found not guilty of the charge and acquitted. Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza told the court that police arrested the duo in August, following a tip-off.

“Police received information that Town was in possession of dagga. They recovered three and a half sacks containing dagga in the accused’s bedroom. Town told the police that the dagga belonged to Aruchipetu who brought it for safe keeping,” said Mr Mageza.

He said police officers called Aruchipetu using Town’s phone pretending to be potential buyers and asked him to come to Town’s house where they arrested him.

“Aruchipetu came to Town’s house with a bag containing one cob of dagga, police took him to his house for further investigations. They recovered one more cob and another packet hidden in his cupboard,” said Mr Mageza.

In his defence, Aruchipetu admitted that he was the owner of only a part of the dagga that was found in his possession and said he did not know where the rest of the dagga came from, insinuating that it belonged to Town.

“Your Worship, I admit to have been found with dagga when I got to the house where there were police officers laying an ambush. I use the dagga as medication for my son who suffers from epilepsy. I was intending to send the dagga back home,” said Town.