Tanaka Mrewa Court Reporter
A MOZAMBICAN man has admitted to being the owner of more than 66 of the 85kg of dagga, with a street value of about $86 000, recovered by police in Bulawayo last week.

Farai Aruchipetu (40) of Pumula South admitted to the police that he gave 66,750 kg of the illegal drug to Shepherd Edson Town (39) in Emganwini for safe keeping.

Appearing in court on Friday, Aruchipetu and Town pleaded guilty to a charge of being found in possession of dagga.

Aruchipetu is facing two counts of the same offence. The pair’s lawyer, Tavengwa Hara of T. Hara and Partners asked the matter to be postponed to tomorrow as he was still waiting to receive further instructions.

Western Commonage Magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele remanded the duo in custody to today. Prosecuting, Mr Busani Moyo told the court that police arrested the duo on Wednesday last week following a tip off.

“Police received information that Town was in possession of dagga. They recovered three and a half sacks containing dagga in the accused’s bedroom. Town told the police that the dagga belonged to Aruchipetu who brought it for safe keeping,” said Mr Moyo.

“Police then used Town’s phone to call Aruchipetu disguising themselves as potential buyers. They asked him to come to Town’s house where they ambushed him.”

Mr Moyo, for Aruchipetu’s second count said he was in possession of two cobs of dagga weighing 260 grams.

“Accused came to Town’s house with a black satchel containing one cob of dagga. Police took him to his house for further investigations.

They recovered one more cob and another packet hidden in his cupboard,” he said.

A statement by the police read that one Simengani Ndlovu (34) a female vendor was selling the rest of the dagga on the streets.

“The Western Commonage and Nkulumane CID crew got a tip off that there was a gambling school underway at a Pumula South bush.

Car and car part thieves were said to be engaging in illicit activities such as drug abuse and disposing stolen goods.

They found Gilbert Moyo and his accomplice smoking a twist of dagga. Moyo implicated Ndlovu as his supplier of the drug,” read the statement.

Ndlovu’s statement read that she was approached by Town who told her she could make more profit by selling dagga.

“I told him I was scared of the police but he said he would pay me well for the portion that I sold.

“I started selling dagga from my vending place. I would only collect it from my house after a customer would have paid,” read the statement.

“One of my customers Gilbert Moyo was arrested and he brought the police to my vending stand.

“They searched my house and found 16 twists of dagga. I took them to Town’s house where they recovered the rest of the sacks.” — @tannytkay

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