Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve
GIFT Lunga (20) has been sentenced to 24 months in prison after being convicted of unlawful possession of dagga weighing more than 400 grammes.
The sentence was handed down by Victoria Falls Resident Magistrate Gift Manyika, who acquitted Lunga’s co-accused, Sinikiwe Mangisai (20), due to insufficient evidence linking her to the crime.
Prosecutor Audry Mukanganya outlined the case.
Lunga is not related to the football legend by the same moniker.
“On 22 April 2025, police received information that the accused persons were in possession of dagga. Officers proceeded to a house in Chinotimba, Victoria Falls, where they found Sinikiwe Mangisai inside. A search led to the discovery of a blue small bag containing 83 sachets of dagga, along with 116 empty plastic papers of similar size, spread on a blanket on the floor,” she said.
Mangisai allegedly implicated Lunga, telling police that he was the owner of the dagga and had stepped out to buy airtime.
“Police contacted Lunga via phone, and he claimed he was returning but he never showed up. A manhunt was launched, and with the help of police dogs, he was arrested on 30 April 2025,” said Mukanganya.
The dagga was weighed at Zimpost, confirming it was 0,45kg, and a forensic report later verified the weight as 450,34 grammes.
Magistrate Manyika ruled that while Mangisai had no direct involvement, Lunga was culpable.
He sentenced Lunga to 24 months imprisonment, with six months suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The name Gift Lunga is well known in Zimbabwean football circles but this convict is not the celebrated player. However, the coincidence has sparked reactions on social media, with some users joking about the dangers of sharing a name with a public figure.
Lunga will serve 18 months behind bars.
Meanwhile, detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics in Beitbridge intercepted a haulage truck and arrested the driver, Temptation Guzhira (41), at Bubi roadblock in connection with unlawful possession of dagga and 289 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup.
Similarly, a truck driver, Philip Gangata (53), was arrested at Beitbridge Border Post on 16 June for unlawful possession of 50 boxes x 100mls Broncleer cough syrup.
Brighton Bongiseni (36) and Pardon Mutsvairo (34) were also arrested at Northbound Buses searching bay, Beitbridge Border Post on 15 June for unlawful possession of 222 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup. The contraband was stashed in two x 20-litre containers. — @nyeve14
