Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, Court Reporter
A TANZANIAN national, who was busted with a contraband of crystal meth drug with an estimated street value of US$987 000, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail.
Sleiman Suleiman Amaour, who has been making trips to the Bulawayo High court facing a charge of dealing in dangerous drugs, made his last appearance last Friday when Justice Ngoni Nduna sentenced him to 15 years in prison.
He was represented by pro deo lawyers Abel Dube and Ukemetsi Nare.
Prosecuting, Mr Khumbulani Nyoni and Vhusani Moyo, told court that on October 23, at around 1PM police set up a road block along Bulawayo-Plumtree Road and stopped a truck, which was heading towards Plumtree, which had boxes.
“The police officers introduced themselves and asked for a driver’s licence and temporary import permit from Amaour. He handed the driver’s licence but failed to produce a temporary import licence,” said Nyoni.
At that moment the police officers became suspicious and instructed Amaour to park by the roadside.
“They took him to the back of the truck where there were several ‘lunch boxes’. The accused was asked what was inside the boxes and instead of responding, he opened one of the lunch boxes and started eating his food,” said Mr Nyoni.
The court heard that the police officers asked Amaour to open the other boxes but he refused.
The police officers became suspicious and opened the boxes. They discovered that 169 boxes contained crystal meth while 23 boxes contained beans. The recovered drugs weighed 192,56kg with an estimated street value of US$987 000.
The court heard that the officers then opened another large box, which contained one packet of 5kg rice and a case of Kambucha, leading to Amaour’s arrest.
The drugs and the truck were forfeited to the State.
Bongani Ndlovu