News / National
Man found with 88Kg of cannabis, gets 15 years behind bars
07 Jun 2012 at 22:54hrs | Views
Bulawayo - A Waterford man who was arrested for possessing 88,37 kilogrammes of cannabis with a street value of more than $8 000 was on Tuesday sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Obert Ncube (51), of Number 13 Richard Allen Road, Waterford, pleaded not guilty to contravening sections of the Dangerous Drugs Act [Chapter 9:23] but was convicted by acting Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Godwin Sengweni.
Three years of his sentence were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar offence.
Ncube, who forfeited his right to give his personal circumstances in mitigation, stood pensively as Mr Sengweni told him that it was clear that the cannabis was destined for the market.
It was the court's contention that Ncube wanted to sell the drug to members of the public.
Ms Sifiso Ndlovu, for the State, said on 27 August last year, detectives received information that Ncube had cannabis at his residence.
After searching the house, the detectives recovered a black plastic bag hidden in a fitted wardrobe and on opening it they discovered that there were 42 cobs of cannabis wrapped in newspapers.
The cannabis weighed 5kg and had a street value of $500.
On 27 March this year, at about 3pm, Ncube, who was out on bail on the first charge, proceeded to a bushy area along Brentwood Road opposite the Country Club where he intended to conceal his cannabis.
During the process of shifting the cannabis which was packed in 50kg bags, he was seen by two women carrying one of the bags towards the bush.
On realising that the two women were watching him, the State proved that he threatened them and chased them away from the scene.
He got into a Toyota Corolla, which was parked at the corner of Brentwood and Strour roads and the women noted down the vehicle registration number.
The women made a report at Hillside Police Station and the police attended the scene and recovered three 50kg bags and a big plastic bag with loose cannabis.
The cannabis weighed 83,38kg with a street value of $8 378.
Ncube was arrested through the description given by the two women and the vehicle was also recovered.
In his defence, Ncube denied putting the cannabis in his house and said the police officers might have knowledge of how it came to be in his house as they had visited his house earlier in his absence.
He denied being at the bushy area where the cannabis was recovered. He said he never hid the cannabis and said he was arrested by the police on the basis that there were similar previous allegations levelled against him.
Obert Ncube (51), of Number 13 Richard Allen Road, Waterford, pleaded not guilty to contravening sections of the Dangerous Drugs Act [Chapter 9:23] but was convicted by acting Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Godwin Sengweni.
Three years of his sentence were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar offence.
Ncube, who forfeited his right to give his personal circumstances in mitigation, stood pensively as Mr Sengweni told him that it was clear that the cannabis was destined for the market.
It was the court's contention that Ncube wanted to sell the drug to members of the public.
Ms Sifiso Ndlovu, for the State, said on 27 August last year, detectives received information that Ncube had cannabis at his residence.
After searching the house, the detectives recovered a black plastic bag hidden in a fitted wardrobe and on opening it they discovered that there were 42 cobs of cannabis wrapped in newspapers.
The cannabis weighed 5kg and had a street value of $500.
On 27 March this year, at about 3pm, Ncube, who was out on bail on the first charge, proceeded to a bushy area along Brentwood Road opposite the Country Club where he intended to conceal his cannabis.
During the process of shifting the cannabis which was packed in 50kg bags, he was seen by two women carrying one of the bags towards the bush.
On realising that the two women were watching him, the State proved that he threatened them and chased them away from the scene.
He got into a Toyota Corolla, which was parked at the corner of Brentwood and Strour roads and the women noted down the vehicle registration number.
The women made a report at Hillside Police Station and the police attended the scene and recovered three 50kg bags and a big plastic bag with loose cannabis.
The cannabis weighed 83,38kg with a street value of $8 378.
Ncube was arrested through the description given by the two women and the vehicle was also recovered.
In his defence, Ncube denied putting the cannabis in his house and said the police officers might have knowledge of how it came to be in his house as they had visited his house earlier in his absence.
He denied being at the bushy area where the cannabis was recovered. He said he never hid the cannabis and said he was arrested by the police on the basis that there were similar previous allegations levelled against him.
Source - TC
