adminAuxilia Katongomara Court Reporter
A DAGGA peddler with a previous conviction for unlawful cultivation of the drug has been hauled before the courts again for cultivating mbanje plants with a street value of $100,000.
Tymon Ndlovu, 50, of Mjena Village under Chief Sikobokobo in Nkayi District appeared before Nkayi magistrate Ndumo Masuku facing two counts of dealing in and cultivating dangerous drugs.
Masuku referred the case to a higher court for sentence saying the appropriate sentence fell outside his jurisdiction.
“Such a substantial quantity of dagga would warrant a sentence in excess of my jurisdiction of two years and therefore it is referred to a higher court for sentencing,” said Masuku.
Ndlovu who was convicted and fined Z$300,000 in 2004 for cultivating mbanje, was arrested again in March this year after two of his customers who had been found in possession of the illegal drug led police to his homestead.
The court heard that on March 14, Ndlovu sold two grammes of dagga to Mhleli Siwela.
On the same date, the court heard, Siwela and another accomplice, Jeffery Ncube were arrested for illegal possession of the drug.
The two led police to Ndlovu’s place of residence where dagga plants with an average height of 1,5 metres were discovered.
He pleaded guilty to both charges.
The 365 plants had an estimated street value of $100,000.
Online Reporter