Online Reporter
Dalyn [email protected]
A 35-year-old Bulawayo man has been sentenced to four years in prison for unlawful possession of 47 sachets of dagga weighing 23kg, with a street value of ZWG 697 500.
Valentine Bhebhe from Skhupa Village in Lower Gweru appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate, Mr Pasipanodya Maturure, facing charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs and an alternative charge of unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs.
He was found guilty for the main charge and not guilty and acquitted for the alternative charge.
Bhebhe, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, was initially sentenced to five years in prison of which one year was suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. The remaining four year are effective.
In his defence, Bhebhe said he was a cross boarder transport driver and that he did not know that what he had transported was dagga.
He further claimed that whilst he was waiting for various people to come to collect their parcels, he then encountered the police who searched and discovered the dagga in the parcels.
“We tried to phone the person who was supposed to collect the parcel together with the police but the person did not answer,” he said.
In passing the sentence, Mr Maturure said the court will not be faulted to conclude that the accused person did not know what was inside the sack.
Prosecutor, Ms Melissa Dube, said the offence occurred on September 23 at around 6AM, when detectives who were on surveillance received information that Bhebhe was in possession of dagga, which he was hiding among his luggage after offloading at a car park at the corner of Masiyephambili and Luveve Roads near Emakhandeni.
The detectives proceeded to the said place where and identified the accused person, who was guarding his goods.
They introduced themselves and explained their purpose, said Ms Dube.
A systematic search was conducted on the accused person’s goods, including a 90 kg white sack, which had three wrapped plastic bundles. The detectives unwrapped the bundles in the presence of Bhebhe and recovered 47 sealed transparent packets of dagga, added Ms Dube.
The accused person was asked to produce a permit or licence authorising him to be in possession of such drugs, which he failed to do, leading to his arrest.
The recovered dagga and the accused person were taken to the station for further management and the dagga was later taken to the Bulawayo Main Post Office for weighing in the presence of the accused person.
It weighed 23.250kgs with a street value of ZWG 697 500, said Ms Dube.
