The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Weekender Reporter
A NYANGA prophet with an apostolic sect will spend the next 12 months behind bars after he was convicted of growing mbanje in his plot. Simon Mwindiri (41) from Chief Saunyama’s area pleaded guilty to growing the banned drug when he appeared before Nyanga provincial magistrate, Mr Ignatio Mhene.
He begged for mercy saying the mbanje was for his own consumption, reiterating that each time he smokes the drug he acquires extra strength to work in his fields and feed his family.
Public Prosecutor, Mrs Anesu Tsikwa, told the court that detectives received a tip-off that the suspect was growing mbanje in his plot.
They ambushed him and recovered 19 plants measuring almost a metre each in his field.
“During interrogation, he admitted that the plants were his. He told detectives that each time he smokes mbanje he gets extra strength to work,” she said.
In mitigation, Mwindiri begged for a lighter sentence, saying he was a prophet and that he had a visually impaired wife to look after.
He told the court that if he was to get a custodial sentence, his wife would suffer as there would be no one to look after her.
Mr Mhene, however, set aside three months of the sentence of condition of good behaviour.
He said Mwindiri was supposed to get a lengthy jail term, but the court took into consideration his wife’s condition to come up with the 12-month incarceration.
In an unrelated court case, a 21-year-old Nyanga man was jailed 10 years after pleading guilty to stealing a neighbour’s beast which he later sold.
Adam Saunyama pleaded guilty to stock theft when he appeared before Rusape provincial magistrate, Mr Shingi Mutiro.
Public prosecutor, Mrs Anesu Tsikwa, told the court that the beast was stolen on November 12.
“On that date, the complainant, Godfrey Gadzani, received information from Con Musimbe who saw Saunyama driving away his black ox. On the very same day, the complainant also heard that the beast was sold to Chamisa by the suspect.
“The complainant later contacted Chamisa to confirm the rumours. Chamisa confirmed buying the oxen from Saunyama. Gadzani also discovered that the black ox was missing from his herd. He subsequently made a police report,” said Mrs Tsikwa.
Further investigations by the police revealed that the ox had been slaughtered in Harare. The beast was not cleared by the police and other relevant offices.
Mr Mutiro set aside one year of the sentence on condition that Saunyama restitutes the complainant his ox to the tune of $600. He will serve nine years behind bars.
