adminClara Mudefi
THE mbanje cake scandal in which its bakers and sellers are targeting mostly school children has claimed its first scalp following the conviction of a Hobhouse man.
So popular is the cake among school children and school heads are now having a torrid time in disciplining children who most of them will be high after consuming the drug.
Following a public outcry, school authorities have beefed up their surveillance which last Thursday led to the arrest of Shakespear Ziko (27).
Ziko was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Mutare magistrate Mr Langton Mukwengi last week. He was found in possession of a sachet of mbanje weighing 3,50 grams as well as 22 small pieces of the mbanje cake.
Ziko was ordered to pay $20 or spend 20 days behind bars on the first count.
On the second count, he was ordered to pay a fine of $250 or face a jail term of four months. In addition, three months were wholly suspended on condition that he is not convicted of a similar offence in the next five years.
The court heard police detectives received a tip-off that Ziko was selling the mbanje cakes last Thursday and decided to make a follow-up.
“The detectives went to Ziko’s house in Hob-house and upon arrival they met him carrying a small black bag.
“He was searched and was found in possession of 22 small pieces of mbanje cakes which were packed in a small lunch box. The police went on to search his pockets and found one sachet of mbanje,” said prosecutor Mr Brian Goto.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Enock Chishiri encouraged parents and members of the public to be responsible citizens and take care of their children and also report cases of such incidents to the police.
“Those culprits who continue selling this illegal drug risk arrest and prosecution,” he said.
Online Reporter