adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 43-YEAR-OLD Mangwe woman has appeared in court for selling dagga from her employer’s grocery shop. Gugulethu Ndlovu, who is from Empandeni area, told the court that she had engaged in the illegal activity in order to sustain her family as she was a widow.
She was selling the dagga without the knowledge of her employer as she kept her merchandise hidden beneath store goods.
“I have four children and the money I am earning as a shopkeeper is hardly enough for me to sustain my family, that is why I was selling the dagga,” she said.
Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa sentenced Ndlovu to nine months imprisonment of which three months were suspended for five years on condition that she does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature.
The remaining six months were further suspended on condition that she performs 210 hours of community service at Valukhalo Secondary School.
Mr Ruvetsa raised concern over rampant drug peddling activities by villagers in Bulilima and Mangwe districts.
He said villagers should desist from using poverty as an excuse for selling dagga.
“Drug peddling cases have become common in this court and most culprits are using poverty as an excuse for their actions. Being poor is no excuse for selling dagga unless you are trying to tell me that your children eat dagga in order to survive,” said Mr Ruvetsa.
Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Chinyanganya said Ndlovu who is employed as a shopkeeper at Nkalakatha General Dealer and Bottlestore at Sindisa Business Centre was selling dagga from the shop.
He said police detectives on 18 February received a tip-off that Ndlovu was selling the dagga.
“Police detectives proceeded to the shop around 5pm where they recovered 33 twists of dagga and four packets of dagga hidden beneath packets of sugar,” said Mr Chinyanganya.
He said the police detectives then went on to conduct a search at Ndlovu’s homestead.
He said they discovered 14 packets of dagga stored in a 20- litre bucket which was hidden in her bedroom resulting in her immediate arrest.
In another incident a 42-year-old man from Dombodema area in Bulilima also appeared in court after he was found in possession of dagga at his homestead.
Themba Ndlovu said he used the money which he was earning from selling dagga to send his three children to school.
“I am not employed and piece jobs are difficult to come by, therefore, I ended up selling dagga in order to get by. I have been sending my children to school with this money,” said Ndlovu.
He appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Mr Livard Philemon facing charges of being in unlawful possession of dangerous drugs.
He was sentenced to three months which were wholly suspended on condition that he performs 105 hours of community service at Dombodema Clinic.
Prosecuting, Mr Clemence Shwarira said police detectives proceeded to Ndlovu’s homestead on 22 February after receiving information that he was selling dagga.
He said they searched his house and recovered dagga weighing 0,17 kilogrammes hidden in his bedroom.
Online Reporter