Online Reporter
Lesley Chikudo, Sunday News Reporter
A SUSPECTED Bulawayo drug dealer who was recently found with 40 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup containing codeine and 556g of mbanje hidden at his home has been convicted.
Elton Ndlovu (39) from Entumbane suburb was convicted of two counts of illegal drug possession by Western Commonage provincial magistrate Mr Archie Wochiwunga who remanded him in custody to 22 April for sentencing.
In delivering his verdict, Mr Wochiwunga said the consistency of witness testimonies and the strong community stance against drug abuse played a pivotal role in the conviction.
“The witnesses’ story was clear and straightforward. They gave their evidence convincingly. They were consistent in their narration of what took place.
“They could have pointed at anyone as being responsible for the drugs, but they only pointed at him,” said the magistrate.
Prosecuting, Mr Tafara Dzimbanhete said Ndlovu was arrested on 14 February at around 8pm after detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Drugs and Narcotics received a tip-off and conducted a raid at his home.
The court was told that a search at Ndlovu’s home led to the discovery of Broncleer cough syrup worth US$200 and dagga with a street value of US$100.
Ndlovu, represented by Ncube and Partners Legal Practitioners, denied the charges claiming the drugs were planted in his home.
The court, however, dismissed his defence as unconvincing.
Broncleer, widely known as “Bronco,” is a codeine-based cough syrup that is frequently abused for its sedative and euphoric effects. It has become a commonly abused substance among youths.
Similarly, dagga (marijuana) remains a controlled substance under Zimbabwean law, and possession without authorisation attracts severe penalties.
The conviction comes amid a nationwide crackdown on drug and substance abuse. Recent studies show that an estimated 7.1 percent of young people in Zimbabwe abuse drugs, with the most commonly abused substances being cannabis, crystal meth, Broncleer, skin lighteners, illicit alcohol and body enhancement products.
Disturbingly, children as young as 10 years old have reportedly fallen victim to drug abuse.
In response, President Mnangagwa in 2023 established an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse, chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and deputised by Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, to spearhead national efforts in fighting the drug menace.
The committee has been tasked with co-ordinating efforts to stem the drug tide through awareness campaigns, rehabilitation programmes and tightening border controls to prevent drug inflows.
Sidumisile Mabena