Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
Zimdancehall artist Romeo Antony (37), popularly known as Shinsoman, and four of his friends were fined US$200 each after pleading guilty to smoking mbanje.
The five appeared before Mbare magistrate Mr Ranga Gakanje yesterday, where they admitted to the charges.
Shinsoman was charged along with Themba Sibanda (26), Shumba Tendai (43), Kennedy Simbanegavi (37), and Cosmas Muzanzi (41).
Magistrate Gakanje sentenced each of them to pay a US$200 fine or face four months in prison.
Additionally, a three-month jail term was suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, provided they are not accused of smoking the drug during that period.
According to the State, the five men all reside at the same house in Engineering, Highfield, Harare.
On January 5, at around 6:30 pm, detectives conducting a follow-up investigation saw the group standing near a parked Mercedes-Benz and passing around a hand-rolled cigarette. The detectives suspected it was a mbanje joint and approached the group.
Upon confrontation, the group reluctantly handed over the joint, which was found to contain mbanje.
The joint was seized from Shinsoman, and all five men were arrested and taken to the CID Drugs and Narcotics Department for further management.
