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Binga mbanje traders nabbed

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TWO BINGA villagers have been detained in remand prison for sentencing today after they pleaded guilty to possession of Mbanje worth $5 300 and 71 plants.

TWO BINGA villagers have been detained in remand prison for sentencing today after they pleaded guilty to possession of Mbanje worth $5 300 and 71 plants.

BY SILAS NKALA

The duo, Jameson Simalyampongo Muchimba (60) and Edmon Muleya (30) of Kabuaza village in Binga appeared separately before Binga resident magistrate, Aeline Munamati.

They pleaded guilty to the charges and were remanded in custody to today for sentence.

On being asked why he had committed the offence, Muchimba said he sells the dagga to send his children to school and he smokes it too.

Muleya said he was the breadwinner and was selling the dagga to take care of his family and also smokes the illicit drug. “I am the breadwinner in the family. I have a burden of taking care of my children, so I sell the dagga and also smoke it,” he said.

Prosecutor Bruce Maphosa said cases of illegal mbanje dealing were rampant and the courts need to give the accused persons a custodial sentence as a deterrent measure “Selling dagga, since it is regarded as a dangerous drug, means that they are endangering the lives of others and they must be sent to jail,” he said.

The court was told that on August 6 police officers from Siabuwa Police Station were tipped off that Muchimba was planting dagga in his garden. They went to his home, where they searched and found 500 grammes of loose dagga.

They then took him to his garden, where they found 71 plants and they arrested him.

On the same day, the police officers had been tipped off that Muleya was selling dagga and they went to his home where they recovered 4,8kg of mbanje worth $4 800.