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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A DRUG peddler who supplied pupils at Mqokolweni High School in Mangwe District with dagga resulting in some being suspended will perform 105 hours of community service as punishment.

Bekithemba Ncube, 56, of Madabe area was exposed by the suspended pupils who revealed that they had bought the dagga from him.

Ncube appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa, facing a charge of unlawful possession of dagga.

He was sentenced to three months in prison, which were wholly suspended on condition that he performs 105 hours of community service at Madabe Police Station.

In passing sentence Ruvetsa lashed out at Ncube for being a bad influence on juveniles and society.

“If you are going to be selling dagga within the community and worse to school pupils then you are an enemy of the village. Parents are worried because of their children’s behaviour and you are the cause of all this.

“You’re going to work within the community that you have wronged as a way of apologising,” said Ruvetsa.

In his defence Ncube denied selling the dagga to the pupils or community members. He alleged that he kept the dagga for his own use. Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said police detectives received information that Ncube was selling dagga from his homestead on March 14.

“The police detectives proceeded to Ncube’s homestead to conduct a search. They recovered seven twists of dagga with a weight of 0,0024 kg hidden in his bedroom resulting in his immediate arrest,” he said.

Twenty five ‘O’ Level pupils from Mqokolweni High School were recently suspended for two weeks after they were caught smoking dagga.

Fifteen others were punished after they were caught drinking beer during a sports event.

The pupils were issued with letters that stated that they had been suspended from February 25 to March 11.

Upon being questioned the pupils revealed that they had been supplied with the dagga by community members.

Local traditional leader, Chief Wasi, said cases of drug abuse had become a cause for concern among rural schools.

“Community members are now criminals that are focusing on destroying the future of school pupils. If such people who sell dagga to children are caught they deserve a severe sentence as their actions are a form of child abuse.

“A number of children within the school going range are smoking dagga. Some do it in school while others do it along the way. Some bottle stores are even selling beer to school pupils. They are only concerned with their business while they are destroying the lives of the youngsters,” he said.

Chief Wasi said villagers were supposed to collectively ensure that children were protected.