Chronicle Editor
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
KAMATIVI in Hwange district and Binga have been identified as hotspots for mbanje cultivation and dealing following a spate of arrests in the areas which has led to recovery of dagga (mbanje) worth hundreds of dollars.
This comes as the courts have been inundated with cases involving cultivation and possession of dangerous drugs particularly dagga (mbanje) emanating mostly from Kamativi and Binga’s Malaliya and Gale areas at a time the Government has intensified the fight against drugs and substance abuse especially among the youths.
The courts have expressed concern that Matabeleland North is grappling with how to contain the dealing in mbanje which is cultivated mostly in Binga district.
This comes in the wake of a 63-year-old man who was hauled before the courts recently for running a semi-large scale cultivation and distribution hub with more than 300 plants in addition to a stockpile of processed mbanje and seeds.
Enock Chuma of Mabula village under Chief Pashu in Binga was busted with 300 plants in addition to 125 grams of prepared dagga as well as 24 harvested plants awaiting processing for the market.
It is understood that on 19 December 2023 at around 3pm, police details, Constables Matuka and Mawushe received a tip off that Chuma was cultivating dagga at his place of residence. The two officers proceeded together with Constable Mhlanga to his homestead and found him in his garden where he had planted potatoes.
They introduced themselves before informing him of the purpose of their visit. The three officers then conducted a search in the garden in the presence of Chuma and found a stash of prepared dagga weighing 125 grams in a 19kg sack tied on a mango tree branch. The street value of the recovered dagga is ZWL737 500.
The three police officers also found 300 plants of dagga planted on three beds with the height ranging from 5-35cm. The police further recovered 24 harvested plants of a height ranging from 90-120cm.
As if that was not enough the officers also found 46 class one wire snares in a sack when they extended the search to Chuma’s bedroom. He was asked to produce a permit for the wire snares but failed to do so. He was immediately arrested.
Chuma was convicted and sentenced to 30 months imprisonment of which 12 months were conditionally suspended meaning he will effectively serve 18 months. He will also serve 18 months for possession of wire snares.
In a related case, Adam Munsaka (42) of Malaliya village under Chief Pashu in Binga was found in possession of 2.45 kilogrammes of dagga with a street value of ZWL14 455 000 meant for dealing. He was convicted and sentenced to 48 months of which 12 months were suspended for five years meaning he will serve an effective 36 months while Malvin Mwembe (41) of Gale village under Chief Pashu was found in possession of 26 sachets of dagga weighing 100 grams with a street value of ZWL590 000 for the purposes of selling.
On 19 December 2023 at around 3pm while at Mabula Business Centre, Mwembe started acting violently towards the police while querying the arrest of his brother Mathew Munkombwe. Munkombwe (39) had been found with 33 sachets of prepared dagga weighing 125 grams and with a street value of ZWL737 500. Mwembe was immediately arrested and searched before being found with his own stash of 26 sachets of dagga tucked in his satchel. Both brothers were convicted of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs. Mwembe was sentenced to 12 months in prison of which four months were conditionally suspended. The remaining eight months were further suspended on condition that he performs 280 hrs of community service. Meanwhile, his brother, Munkombwe was slapped with a 12-month prison term of which three months were suspended. The remaining nine months were further suspended on condition that he also performs 315 hrs of community service.
The courts also heard the case of a female drug dealer, Mavis Mbendani (29) of 517 Empumalanga in Hwange who was convicted after being found in possession of five grams of dagga with a street value of ZWL48 000 on 18 December 2023. She was fined USD100 while three months were wholly suspended for 5 years.
Shani Ngwenya, a drug user aged 25 years of Malaliya village under Chief Pashu was convicted and fined US$50 after being found with a twist of dagga weighing two grams with a street value of ZWL11 800. In addition, Ngwenya who was facing a charge of unlawful possession of a prohibited knife, an okapi was slapped with a three months wholly suspended sentence.
The cases were brought before Hwange provincial magistrates, Mrs Ailene Munamati and Miss Fungai Dzimiri with Ms Chido Tshuma and Ms Jamesina Erica Makanza prosecuting.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter