Man jailed for dagga

Man jailed for dagga

Chinhoyi (Telegraph-New Ziana) – A 32 year old man from Chitomborwizi
has been jailed for five years for unlawfully cultivating dagga in his
garden.

Advance Jokwani (32) was charged with two counts of contravening the
law, in the first count he was charged with unlawfully cultivating
422 plants of dagga without a license or permission, thereby breaching
section 156 (1) (b) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act
Chapter 9:23.

In the second count, he was found in possession of dagga contravening
section 157 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter
9:23.

It is the state’s case that in November, police officers in a patrol
unit visited Chitomborwizi area to investigate stock theft cases and
upon consulting different people in the area, they picked up
information that Jokwani was growing dagga in his garden.

Acting upon the information provided, the police patrol team led by
Sergeant Tichaona Nyamukondiwa proceeded to Jokwani’s garden and found
the 422 plants of dagga measuring between 30-157cm in height.

Jokwani was asked to produce a license or permit for growing dagga and
he indicated that his employer, Jeremiah Chinovengwa had authorized him
to cultivate the dagga.

When contacted, Chinovengwa denied ever authorizing such cultivation
and the police proceeded to his homestead to search and found Jokwani
in possession of 11, 4 grammes of dried dagga wrapped in a newspaper
leading to his arrest.

Jokwani pleaded guilty when he appeared at the Chinhoyi Magistrates
Court and was jailed.

Telegraph-New Ziana