News / Local
Kenyans caught smuggling mbanje in Zimbabwe
06 Feb 2024 at 10:00hrs | Views
TWO Kenyans have been arrested in Victoria Falls for possessing more than 60kg of mbanje.
Muchai Kamau (47) and Sammy Duke (33) were arrested at the Kazungula Border after police and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officers discovered bags of mbanje stashed in a secret compartment of a Kenya-registered vehicle the two were driving.
There were also 67 small packs of processed mbanje in the vehicle.
The duo appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Mr Genius Manyika to answer to charges of possessing dangerous drugs.
They pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Kamau and Duke will however serve an effective six years each after the magistrate suspended four years on the condition of good behaviour.
Prosecuting, Ms Josephine Gurazhira told the court that the two were arrested on Friday.
The court was told that the duo arrived at Kazungula Border from Botswana enroute to Kenya in a Mercedes Benz Sprinter bearing a Kenyan registration number plate.
Police and Zimra officers conducted a routine search on the vehicle and found eight black plastic bags containing mbanje.
The bags were hidden in a secret compartment.
The team also recovered 67 small packs of packaged mbanje and arrested the two.
The total weight of recovered mbanje was 66.6kg.
The Mercedes Benz Sprinter was seized by Zimra.
Muchai Kamau (47) and Sammy Duke (33) were arrested at the Kazungula Border after police and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officers discovered bags of mbanje stashed in a secret compartment of a Kenya-registered vehicle the two were driving.
There were also 67 small packs of processed mbanje in the vehicle.
The duo appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Mr Genius Manyika to answer to charges of possessing dangerous drugs.
They pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Kamau and Duke will however serve an effective six years each after the magistrate suspended four years on the condition of good behaviour.
Prosecuting, Ms Josephine Gurazhira told the court that the two were arrested on Friday.
The court was told that the duo arrived at Kazungula Border from Botswana enroute to Kenya in a Mercedes Benz Sprinter bearing a Kenyan registration number plate.
Police and Zimra officers conducted a routine search on the vehicle and found eight black plastic bags containing mbanje.
The bags were hidden in a secret compartment.
The team also recovered 67 small packs of packaged mbanje and arrested the two.
The total weight of recovered mbanje was 66.6kg.
The Mercedes Benz Sprinter was seized by Zimra.
Source - The Chronicle
