Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
THREE people, including two Irish nationals, who were found in possession of dagga at a Harare hotel, have been fined US$110 each.
The accused, Jodie Kinsella (37), Tadgh Joseph Byrnes (23) and Melisa Khan (42), appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Lisah Mutendereki facing charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs.
They pleaded guilty. Failure to pay the fine would attract 60 days’ imprisonment. The State is the complainant in the matter.
Prosecutor Ms Chyvonne Nhira told the court that Kinsella and Byrnes, both Irish nationals, had booked a room at a local hotel in Harare together with Khan.
On June 24, 2026, at around 10 am, detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics Unit received information that the trio had dangerous drugs in their hotel room.
Acting on the tip-off, detectives proceeded to Room 1018 at the hotel, where they found the accused persons.
The court heard that the detectives searched the room with the occupants’ consent and recovered five sachets of dagga from a table inside the room.
The accused persons, together with the recovered substance, were taken to the CID Drugs and Narcotics offices in Harare for further investigations.
An exhibit seizure confirmation receipt was issued.
Prosecutors said the recovered dagga was weighed and valued at US$5 on the street market.
