Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
A TRUCK driver at Pogba Transport and Logistics has appeared in court after he was arrested while transporting a consignment of dagga worth US$1 200 000 from Beitbridge to Harare.
Thompson Ndou (58) from Dulibadzimu, Beitbridge, was facing charges of unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo.
The State opposed the granting of bail to Ndou.
In opposing bail, the State called the arresting officer, Detective Assistant Inspector Simbi Padzakashamba, who concurred that Ndou is not a proper candidate for bail.
It is the State’s case that on June 2026 at around 7 pm, police received information to the effect that Ndou was driving a 30-tonne haulage truck, registration number AFJ 2961, towing a trailer registration number AGK 0535, and transporting a metal container carrying a consignment of dagga from Beitbridge to Harare.
The information further indicated that the dagga had been packed into various packages concealed inside the container.
Acting on the information received, police mounted an operation and intercepted Ndou’s vehicle at Ligi Restaurant truck stop, opposite Swift Company, Southerton, Harare.
Police approached the vehicle and spoke to Ndou, who was seated behind the steering wheel. A search was conducted in the metal container, resulting in the recovery of numerous sealed cubic plastic packages containing compressed dagga.
The court heard that Ndou was subsequently arrested and taken to the police station for further management.
Police issued Ndou an Exhibit Seizure Confirmation Receipts (ZRP Form 390) serial numbers 0176597, 0176598, 0176599, 0176600, 0233001, 0233002, 0233003 and 0233006 as confirmation that police had recovered and seized the exhibits from his possession.
The seized exhibits comprised the compressed dagga, the haulage truck registration number AFJ 2961, trailer registration number AGK 0535, the metal container, and a cellphone Samsung Galaxy A55 IMEI numbers 352053260758241/01, 353806330758247/01 and serial number RZCX303C7ZZ
It is alleged that on June 2, 2026, the recovered dagga was weighed at the Zimpost Harare Main Post Office in the presence of the accused and was found to have a total mass of 1,094.20 kilogrammes (one tonne). The recovered dagga has an estimated street value of US$1 200 000.
Peter Tanyanyiwa