Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
A WOMAN who sold drugs to schoolchildren at the gate of Inyathi Mission High School has been convicted and sentenced to an effective six months in prison.
Buhlebenkosi Hlabangana (30) appeared on her own plea of guilty on Monday before Inyathi Resident Magistrate Mr Challenge Mahembe, facing a charge of unlawful possession or use of dangerous drugs as defined in Section 157(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
Mr Mahembe sentenced Hlabangana to 10 months in prison with four months suspended for five years on condition that she does not commit any offence involving the possession, use, consumption, dealing in, manufacture or cultivation of dangerous drugs. The suspended term will be activated if she breaches the condition.
In passing sentence, Mr Mahembe said Hlabangana had endangered the lives of schoolchildren by selling drugs at the school gate.
“You exposed innocent children to dagga. Doing so had the potential of ruining their lives and causing them to fail in the pursuit of their education,” he said.
“You are a dangerous person as you had the guts to sell drugs at the school gate, and no one knows how many schoolchildren have been buying drugs from you and had their bright futures ruined,” said Mr Mahembe.
He said it was unfortunate that Hlabangana was peddling drugs at a time when the Government was intensifying its fight against drug and substance abuse, with significant resources being channelled towards the campaign.
“You will have to be jailed so that it sends a strong message to like-minded people that courts, as the guardians of families, frown upon the peddling of drugs and substance abuse,” he said.
In mitigation, Hlabangana apologised for the offence, citing financial difficulties.
“I faced severe hardships, and the dire situation pushed me into peddling drugs for survival. I am the sole breadwinner and I have two children that I look after,” she said.
In aggravation, prosecutor Ms Happiness Nleya submitted that selling drugs at a school was a highly aggravating factor.
“The offender peddled drugs at the school gate, which showed that her customers were largely schoolchildren, thereby exposing the students to drugs. As a guardian, she was not supposed to sell drugs and her behaviour was highly irresponsible. She committed a serious crime, and the State prays for a custodial sentence to send a message to would-be offenders,” she said.
Ms Nleya told the court that police officers were on patrol when they received a tip-off that
Hlabangana was peddling drugs alongside other wares at Inyathi Mission.
“The police officers headed to the school and searched her. They found the dagga wrapped in a plastic bag hidden inside a bucket. The dangerous drug was recovered and taken for weighing, where it clocked 80 grammes. The recovered dagga was subsequently recorded in the seizure exhibit form,” said Ms Nleya.
