News / Regional
Shopkeeper sells weed from grocery shop behind employer's back
08 Mar 2015 at 05:11hrs | Views
A shopkeeper in Mangwe has be dragged to court after she was discovered selling cannabis from a grocery shop without the knowledge of her employer.
The woman reportedly kept her merchandise hidden beneath store goods.
The mother of four told the court that the money she was earning as a shopkeeper could hardly sustain her family hence she had to resort to selling weed.
Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa sentenced Ndlovu to nine months imprisonment of which three months were suspended for five years on condition that she does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature.
The remaining six months were further suspended on condition that she performs 210 hours of community service at Valukhalo Secondary School.
Mr Ruvetsa raised concern over rampant drug peddling activities by villagers in Bulilima and Mangwe districts.
He said villagers should desist from using poverty as an excuse for selling cannabis.
"Drug peddling cases have become common in this court and most culprits are using poverty as an excuse for their actions. Being poor is no excuse for selling cannabis unless you are trying to tell me that your children eat cannabis in order to survive," said Mr Ruvetsa.
Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Chinyanganya said Ndlovu who is employed as a shopkeeper at Nkalakatha General Dealer and Bottlestore at Sindisa Business Centre was selling cannabis from the shop.
He said police detectives on 18 February received a tip-off that Ndlovu was selling the cannabis.
"Police detectives proceeded to the shop around 5pm where they recovered 33 twists of cannabis and four packets of cannabis hidden beneath packets of sugar," said Mr Chinyanganya.
He said the police detectives then went on to conduct a search at Ndlovu's homestead.
He said they discovered 14 packets of cannabis stored in a 20- litre bucket which was hidden in her bedroom resulting in her immediate arrest.
The woman reportedly kept her merchandise hidden beneath store goods.
The mother of four told the court that the money she was earning as a shopkeeper could hardly sustain her family hence she had to resort to selling weed.
Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa sentenced Ndlovu to nine months imprisonment of which three months were suspended for five years on condition that she does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature.
The remaining six months were further suspended on condition that she performs 210 hours of community service at Valukhalo Secondary School.
He said villagers should desist from using poverty as an excuse for selling cannabis.
"Drug peddling cases have become common in this court and most culprits are using poverty as an excuse for their actions. Being poor is no excuse for selling cannabis unless you are trying to tell me that your children eat cannabis in order to survive," said Mr Ruvetsa.
Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Chinyanganya said Ndlovu who is employed as a shopkeeper at Nkalakatha General Dealer and Bottlestore at Sindisa Business Centre was selling cannabis from the shop.
He said police detectives on 18 February received a tip-off that Ndlovu was selling the cannabis.
"Police detectives proceeded to the shop around 5pm where they recovered 33 twists of cannabis and four packets of cannabis hidden beneath packets of sugar," said Mr Chinyanganya.
He said the police detectives then went on to conduct a search at Ndlovu's homestead.
He said they discovered 14 packets of cannabis stored in a 20- litre bucket which was hidden in her bedroom resulting in her immediate arrest.
Source - Sunday News
