A Beitbridge magistrate has lamented the increasing social delinquency and disorder blaming it on rampant drug abuse.
by Our CORRESPONDENT
Magistrate Trevor Nyatsanza said this while sentencing Juliet Taruvinga (31) and Melody Ncube (30) to five months in prison or $500 fine each for possession of banned habit-forming Broncleer cough syrup.
“Delinquency due to highness is now common in society and courts must send signals,” said Nyatsanza after indicating he would not give the two time to stagger payment.
People selling drugs were difficult to catch, he said.
Nyatsanza said although the duo had been honest to plead guilty without wasting the court’s time, their intention to selling the illicit drug was aggravating.
Commonly known as “bronco”, the South African made cough syrup is smuggled into the country mostly through Beitbridge.
Between them Taruvinga and Ncube had 96 by 200 ml bottles with a total street value of $300.
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“We cannot blame the current economic times to engage in crime. You should have permits to have these (drugs),” Nyatsanza said.
Sometime during the weekend Taruvinga and Ncube arrived in the country each with 48 bottles of broncleer.
They were arrested inside the Beitbridge border post after they were searched and found with the bottles.
In almost identical appeals for leniency Taruvinga and Ncube said they were single mothers and breadwinners for their families. They each told the court it was their plan to sell the Broncleer.
Taruvinga and Ncube said they were both vendors and each earned around $100 monthly and any custodial sentence would be hurtful to their families.
Nyatsanza said ordinarily he would have jailed the two but that they were first offenders had worked to their advantage.
Tsika Mafunga prosecuted.
