Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
POLICE arrested a Chitungwiza man, Tinashe Struggle Tapera (33) just after he had collected a parcel of 35,49kg of mbanje from a Malawi-bound bus in central Harare in the early hours of Friday last week.
Tapera has been charged with unlawfully dealing in dangerous drugs and appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo who remanded him in custody pending a bail ruling.
Prosecutor Heather Muokoto said on October 3, detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics Unit received intelligence that a Malawi-bound bus, registered in South Africa, was transporting mbanje destined for Harare.
Acting on the tip-off, they set up surveillance along the Masvingo Highway, positioning themselves near the Skyline tollgate.
At approximately 2am, they spotted the targeted bus approaching the tollgate.
Following the bus, the detectives tracked it to a waiting rank along Gamal Abdel Nasser Road, opposite Colcom in Harare.
They observed Tapera arriving at the rank in a silver-grey Nissan Caravan.
Tapera approached the bus, collected a parcel and loaded it into his vehicle.
Acting swiftly, the detectives approached him, identified themselves and requested to search his consignment.
Upon inspecting the plastic-wrapped parcel, the detectives discovered a large sack containing mbanje. Tapera was immediately arrested and taken to the CID Drugs and Narcotics offices along with the seized drugs for further investigation.
The confiscated mbanje was later weighed at the Harare Main Post Office, confirming a total weight of 35,49kg.
