adminPlaxcedes Hove Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man charged with possessing illegal drugs stunned a court when he told the presiding magistrate that he smokes mbanje as it is an “energy giver”.
Mthokozisi Ncube, 40, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chimiso for possessing the illegal drug. It was found in his pocket at a beerhall.
Prosecuting, Whatmore Tembo said on May 26 at around 11AM, Luveve police officers, who were on patrol in Emakhandeni suburb, got a tipoff that Ncube was selling the drug to residents.
They proceeded to MaHadebe beer garden where they searched him and found 17 grammes of the drug in his possession.
“Ncube was found with 10 twists of mbanje worth $17 in his pockets at MaHadebe beer garden,” the prosecutor said.
Ncube did not deny that he had been in possession of the dagga but said he did not intend to sell it to anyone as he wanted to smoke it himself.
“I do not deny having mbanje but I did not want to sell it. I smoke mbanje to boost my energy when I work in the fields in the rural areas. When I smoke I feel I have energy to do anything that needs strength,” he said.
Chimiso fined Ncube $100 (or 30 days in jail).
Online Reporter