UPDATED: Bulawayo man jailed five years for stealing US$12 000 worth of cannabis

A 37-YEAR-OLD farm worker from Douglasdale on the outskirts of Bulawayo has been sentenced to five years in prison for stealing 30kg of processed cannabis worth US$12 000 from a licensed cannabis farm.

Martin Masuku of Lobengula suburb, was convicted of theft by Bulawayo magistrate Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba on Wednesday. He will serve an effective two years after 12 months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

The prosecutor, Mr Samuel Mpofu, told the court that Masuku committed the offence in December last year at Thathokuhle Farm in Douglasdale, Umguza District, owned by businessman Mr Mike Querl, his wife Ms Kerrie Mitchell and their business partner, Mr Graeme Jansen van Vuuren.
“Masuku entered the farm by cutting the security fence and using an unknown object to break a padlock on a storage room where the cannabis was kept,” said Mr Mpofu.

The stolen stash was never recovered. In mitigation, Masuku pleaded for leniency, telling the court that he just wanted to make ends meet.

A report was made to the police and investigations led to Masuku’s arrest. The loot was not recovered.