Tendai Muererwa
CHIMANIMANI-Two Chimanimani villagers have been arrested after police discovered 770 dagga plants growing alongside maize crops in their fields in Ruwaka Village under Chief Mutambara.
The suspects, Lovemore Zambasira (73) and Liberty Maunganidze (38), were arrested on Monday, October 26, following a tip off received by police a day earlier. National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests, saying officers recovered the plants and processed dagga during the operation.
Police reportedly travelled about 30 kilometres to the village, arriving at the suspects’ homesteads at around 4.30am. The two allegedly acknowledged the allegations and led officers to their respective fields, where 690 dagga plants were reportedly found in Zambasira’s field and 80 in Maunganidze’s field.
A search at Zambasira’s homestead also allegedly uncovered 800 grammes of unprocessed dagga in a plastic bag in his bedroom. The plants were uprooted and seized, while the case was referred to the Criminal Investigation Department’s Drugs section in Mutare for further investigations. Commissioner Nyathi said police remained on high alert as they intensified efforts to combat the cultivation, trafficking and use of dangerous drugs.
The two are accused of unlawful possession, growing or use of dangerous drugs under Section 157(1)(c) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].
