News / National
Zimbo, South African, Namibian and Batswana locked up for illegal dagga possession
01 Jun 2015 at 02:44hrs | Views
A South African, Zimbabwean, Namibian and two locals have been remanded in custody for allegedly being found in unlawful possession of dagga.
In the first case, Suneel Ramdeen from South Africa was allegedly found with an undisclosed amount of dagga at Ngwasha Veterinary gate on May 23.
Ramdeen is charged with his Zimbabwe counterpart, Onias Tapfumaneyi, who is a mechanic at Suns Trans, a company belonging to Ramdeen.
In another matter, Windsor Leornard Rittman from Namibia was arraigned for allegedly being found in unlawful possession of dagga at Ngwasha on May 22 while two locals, Mogomotsi Simata and Kabo Mmolawa pleaded guilty for having been found in unlawful possession of dagga at Ngwasha on March 8.
Simata and Mmolawa are out on bail. They are due in court for facts reading tomorrow.
Sub Inspector Thulaganyo Pitso applied for the pleas of Ramdeen, Tapfumaneyi and Rittman to be reserved pending the results of the forensic examinations he was hopeful would be ready by Friday.
Pitso applied for Ramdeen, Tapfumaneyi and Rittman to be remanded in prison because they were caught on transit from Botswana to their respective countries adding that they do not have any business interests in the country that may bind them to attend trial.
Ramdeen pleaded with Chief Magistrate Gaedupe Makgato to grant him bail because his business would be negatively affected by his continued incarceration.
He said that he would surrender his passport, identity card, driver's license and his car worth R200,000 to the police as proof that he would attend all court sessions. Tapfumaneyi told the court that he does not know anything about the matter but was merely accompanying his boss, Ramdeen, in order to attend to any mechanical problems the truck may experience along the way.
Rittman pleaded with the court to give him bail because he would be fired from work if he does not deliver the goods he is carrying in the truck on time.
"I would attend court as and when needed because I pass in Botswana en-route to South Africa every week. My dependants would suffer if I am put in custody for a long time," said Rittman adding that he admitted to the offence.
After listening to the pleas advanced by the accused to be granted bail, Makgato said that because most of them were admitting to the offence even though the prosecution has applied for their pleas to be reserved, he would rule on their bail applications tomorrow.
Makgato also ordered the state to prove that Ramdeen is indeed the lawful owner of the truck before his bail is considered.
In the first case, Suneel Ramdeen from South Africa was allegedly found with an undisclosed amount of dagga at Ngwasha Veterinary gate on May 23.
Ramdeen is charged with his Zimbabwe counterpart, Onias Tapfumaneyi, who is a mechanic at Suns Trans, a company belonging to Ramdeen.
In another matter, Windsor Leornard Rittman from Namibia was arraigned for allegedly being found in unlawful possession of dagga at Ngwasha on May 22 while two locals, Mogomotsi Simata and Kabo Mmolawa pleaded guilty for having been found in unlawful possession of dagga at Ngwasha on March 8.
Simata and Mmolawa are out on bail. They are due in court for facts reading tomorrow.
Sub Inspector Thulaganyo Pitso applied for the pleas of Ramdeen, Tapfumaneyi and Rittman to be reserved pending the results of the forensic examinations he was hopeful would be ready by Friday.
Pitso applied for Ramdeen, Tapfumaneyi and Rittman to be remanded in prison because they were caught on transit from Botswana to their respective countries adding that they do not have any business interests in the country that may bind them to attend trial.
Ramdeen pleaded with Chief Magistrate Gaedupe Makgato to grant him bail because his business would be negatively affected by his continued incarceration.
He said that he would surrender his passport, identity card, driver's license and his car worth R200,000 to the police as proof that he would attend all court sessions. Tapfumaneyi told the court that he does not know anything about the matter but was merely accompanying his boss, Ramdeen, in order to attend to any mechanical problems the truck may experience along the way.
Rittman pleaded with the court to give him bail because he would be fired from work if he does not deliver the goods he is carrying in the truck on time.
"I would attend court as and when needed because I pass in Botswana en-route to South Africa every week. My dependants would suffer if I am put in custody for a long time," said Rittman adding that he admitted to the offence.
After listening to the pleas advanced by the accused to be granted bail, Makgato said that because most of them were admitting to the offence even though the prosecution has applied for their pleas to be reserved, he would rule on their bail applications tomorrow.
Makgato also ordered the state to prove that Ramdeen is indeed the lawful owner of the truck before his bail is considered.
Source - Byo24News
