Three jailed after 6,500 plants and 170 kilos seized in Gokwe
Police acting on a tip-off arrested three Kuruwa villagers on 3 July 2024, uprooting 6,500 dagga plants and seizing 170 kilos; a Gokwe magistrate convicted and jailed all three the next day.
🇿🇼 Kuruwa Village, Nemangwe, Gokwe South · Zimbabwe
Police in Gokwe South arrested a three-person dagga syndicate on the night of 3
July 2024 after a tip-off from residents of Kuruwa Village under Chief
Nemangwe.[1][2]Officers found Brian Kuruwa, 36, watering a dagga plantation
along the Svisvi River banks and arrested him, uprooting 67 plants from his
garden.[1][2]
Further searches recovered a 50-kilo sack of loose dagga at the home of
Talkmore Muzondiwa, 30, and three 40-kilo bags hidden in the bedroom hut of
Shylet Magigani, 32.[1][2]In total the police reported 6,500 live plants and
170 kilos of dried packaged dagga.[1][2]During the raids Muzondiwa’s husband,
kraal head Joseph Kuruwa, 43, mobilised villagers to fight the police, and
officers fired warning shots to overcome them.[1]
The three appeared before a Gokwe magistrate on 4 July, were convicted of
cultivation and possession of dagga, and were sentenced the same day.[1][2]Brian Kuruwa received four years with labour with one year suspended,
Muzondiwa 24 months with eight months suspended, and Magigani an effective
three years.[1][2]
Photos and video
Seized dried dagga in drums and sacks after the Gokwe South raid. Photo: Midlands Observer via The ZimbabweanPhoto details
Source: Midlands Observer via The Zimbabwean · archived copyThe riverside dagga plantation at Kuruwa Village where Brian Kuruwa was found watering plants. Photo: Midlands Observer via The ZimbabweanPhoto details
Zimbabwe police named seven people sentenced for unlawful possession of dagga as part of 25 convictions announced in a nationwide crackdown. The dagga sentences ranged from six months to 36 months, while other cases involved dangerous drugs, unregistered medicines and an immigration offence.
Police in Chipinge arrested Maria Mawacha, Gremma Mutema and Simon Sithole after 357 dagga plants were found in maize fields and gardens. Mawacha pleaded guilty and received 36 months with suspensions and 580 hours community service, while charges against Mutema were withdrawn and Sithole awaits sentence.
The Chinhoyi Magistrates' Court sentenced Aristotle Keith Mabvira to an effective 30 months in prison for possessing 1.055 kg of dagga recovered from his room. Six months of the 36-month term were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
Arrested 1Cannabis 1.055 kgPrison 30 months (six months suspended for five years)
Zimbabwe's information minister said 2,889 people accused of drug offences had been brought before the courts and 381 convictions secured under the government's drug abuse crackdown, and that 31 drug bases in Manicaland and Mashonaland West provinces were dismantled. He gave the value of all drugs confiscated, dagga among them, as about ZiG79.9 million.
