adminFairness Moyana Sunday News Correspondent
A DETE man shocked the courts on Wednesday when he claimed he used dagga as medication for asthma after it was prescribed for a year by a traditional healer. Romasi Fundisi Sibanda (69) left the court gallery in stitches when he claimed that if he did not smoke the herb he would feel weak all over the body before temporarily losing sanity.
“Your worship, I use the dagga as medication when I have asthma attacks. I was told by a traditional healer I had consulted to use the dagga so I could get healed from my ailment. Yes, I know it’s illegal but I couldn’t resist it considering that at times I would grow weak in my body such that I couldn’t do anything or go mad until I smoked,” said Sibanda.
Sibanda, who at one point asked the magistrate to reveal who had caused his arrest, allegedly grew a plantation of the herb in his field in Dopota village under Chief Dingani.
“Your worship, if I may ask, who told you that I was growing dagga in my field? I want to know those people because they got me arrested,” Sibanda said after provincial magistrate Mrs Portia Mhlanga had asked for his plea.
Sibanda was facing charges of possession of 260 grammes of loose dagga and cultivating the illicit herb after 175 plants were discovered hidden in his maize field.
Circumstances are that on 15 March police detectives received a tip-off that Sibanda was cultivating dagga at his field near his homestead. Acting on the information, a team of detectives descended on the homestead where a search was conducted leading to the recovery of 260 grammes of the drug with a street value of $260.
Sibanda was questioned on the origins of the dagga to which he admitted cultivating the herb before taking the police officers to his field where 175 plants were being cultivated. The dagga was uprooted and taken as evidence.
He was remanded in custody to 3 April for sentencing.
Mrs Charlene Gorerino prosecuted for the State.
Online Reporter