Ganja peddler’s cop bribe attempt backfires

Codelia Mondela, Court Reporter
A 34-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo who was arrested for possessing 440 grammes of dagga worth $440 allegedly attempted to bribe police officers with $53.

Daglish Simbai (34) of Mpopoma was arraigned before magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya for possessing dagga, unregistered drugs and bribery.

Simbai pleaded not guilty. Mr Tashaya remanded him out of custody to today.

Constable Owen Mugari, one of the police officers who arrested him burst into laughter as he explained how Simbai pressed money into his hands and tried to persuade him to take the bribe.

“I told him it was bribery. It was corruption at its highest level,” said Cst Mugari.

Prosecuting Mr Charles Danda said: “On September 20, 2015 near Congo beer garden in Mpopoma, Simbai met police officers who were on patrol in the area. They discovered dagga after searching his satchel and a plastic bag that he was carrying.”

The court heard that during the search the police also came across seven 100ml bottles of unlicensed Broncleer cough syrup which had a street value of $14.

Cst Mugari said: “Simbai was taken to Matshobana Police station where he asked to call his friends and was permitted. Later a friend came with money to use as an inducement to avoid his prosecution.”

Mr Danda said Simbai was taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) together with the drugs.

@MondelaC