By Panashe Divine Karidzagundi
TWO Beitbridge men will languish for eight years in prison each after their conviction for dagga trafficking by Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Charity Maphosa.
Runesu Emmanuel Wandura (37) and Tinashe Chivende (27) charged with unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs under Section 156(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
Maphosa had sentenced each of them to 10 years’ imprisonment but they had two years suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The court heard that on June 28 2025, police from Makhado and game scouts from Bubye Valley intercepted their Toyota Wish registration number AEQ 3565 at Towla main gate after receiving information it was being used to transport dagga.
Wandura drove with Chivende as the passenger when they were stopped around 1:30am.
A search led to the discovery of five shrink-wrapped cardboard boxes and 11 cobs of dagga hidden between them.
Further searches revealed an additional 68 cobs of dagga, with the total weighing 307.5 kilograms valued at approximately US$30,756.
A cellphone belonging to one of the accused was examined at the ZRP Cyber Lab and was found to have been used in coordinating the offence.
Both the dagga and the Toyota Wish vehicle were forfeited to the State.
The case was investigated by officers from the CID Drugs and Narcotics, Beitbridge, under case number DR 22/06/25.
Willbrought Muleya prosecuted.