Mbanje caught dealing in mbanje

You really can't make this up! A man literally named Mbanje has been arrested - for dealing in mbanje.

Langton Mbanje (33) of Cowdray Park was hauled before the Western Commonage Magistrates' Court after detectives caught him red-handed with a stash of 52 sachets of cannabis, some of it buried underground and some hidden in a juice container.

Mbanje now faces charges of possessing dangerous drugs, and his case has been remanded to July 1, 2025, by Magistrate Archie Wochiwunga.

According to prosecutor Tafara Dzimbanhete, police had received a tip-off on June 13 that the aptly named suspect was peddling marijuana near his home.

Acting on the information, detectives set up surveillance and observed Mbanje behaving suspiciously.

"He dug a small pit near his house, placed a plastic bag inside, and covered it with soil," said Dzimbanhete. "When he tried to walk away, detectives moved in."

Upon searching the area, officers recovered 38 sachets of loose dagga from the buried bag. A further search of his property revealed 14 more sachets stuffed inside a used Revive drink bottle.

All 52 sachets were taken to the Bulawayo Main Post Office, where they weighed a total of 207 grams with an estimated street value of ZIG 5,796.

It was the end of the road for Mbanje - a man whose name has now become the punchline of a criminal case no one will forget.

From namesake to narcotics, Langton Mbanje joins the long list of backyard dealers who underestimated the long arm of the law and ended up getting smoked.

Moral of the story? Don't dig your own weed pit - especially if your name is literally Mbanje.