Community service for growing mbanje

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A 40-YEAR-OLD Gwanda man will perform 210 hours of community service for growing mbanje at his homestead.

A 40-YEAR-OLD Gwanda man will perform 210 hours of community service for growing mbanje at his homestead.

PERPETUAL PHIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT

Oagile Mguni from Chief Nhlamba Maculus resettlement in Collen Bawn was convicted on his plea when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate Arafat Kozanai.

Mguni was sentenced to nine month imprisonment of which three were conditionally suspended for five years and the remaining six months were wholly suspended on condition that he performs 210 hours of community service at Thornwood Primary School.

Prosecutor Chipo Maposa told the court that detectives acted on a tip-off and went to Maculus resettlement where they searched Mguni’s field and recovered five plants of mbanje measuring 30 centimetres each and arrested him.

In mitigation Mguni told the court that he had cultivated the drug for smoking purposes and did not intend selling it.

“You did not plant the mbanje for commercial purposes, but to smoke it, yet you know that it is a dangerous substance that can cause harm to one’s health!” Kozanai said before sentencing Mguni.