Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
A SUSPECTED drug dealer who appeared in court on Monday was remanded in custody after his lawyer told the court that he would not apply for bail.
Shawn Panashe Muchabaiwa (26) appeared before Bulawayo Provincial Resident Magistrate Mr Themba Chimiso facing charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs as defined in Section
157(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and possession for sale of prohibited medicines.
Muchabaiwa is being represented by Mr Simbarashe Innocent Madzivire of Mashayamombe Law Firm, who told the court that he would not apply for bail, resulting in the accused being remanded in custody.
The matter was postponed to 28 October.
Prosecuting, Mr Samuel Mpofu told the court that on 16 September, police officers who were on patrol received information that the accused was allegedly dealing in an assortment of dangerous drugs at his family home in Makokoba suburb.
“Police officers proceeded to the accused’s place where they found the accused seated in a makeshift tuckshop carrying a small bag.
“Police officers introduced themselves and advised him of their mission, after which they conducted a search leading to the recovery of 250 sachets of methcathinone and 46 sachets of dagga,” said Mr Mpofu.
The court heard that police officers subsequently searched Muchabaiwa’s bedroom and recovered five bottles of Benylin cough syrup, eight bottles of Broncleer, 10 bottles of codeine phosphate, three bottles of Astra pain syrup and an unbranded bottle containing codeine phosphate syrup.
The recovered dagga was taken to the Bulawayo Zimpost office for weighing in the presence of the accused.
The dagga weighed 91 grammes and had a street value of ZWG2 730, while the methcathinone weighed 166 grammes and had a street value of ZWG14 940.
