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Fungai Lupande Senior Court Reporter
A 49-year-old Epworth man was yesterday sentenced to one year in jail after being found with two kilogrammes of dagga worth about $200. Sixpence Rozariro appeared before Harare magistrate Josephine Sande and pleaded guilty to possession of dagga.

He was sentenced to a year-and-a half in prison before Ms Sande suspended six months on condition of good behaviour. Rozariro told the court in mitigation that he committed the offence in an effort to provide for his family.

“I sell dagga to provide food for my family. I send my children to school with the money from dagga. May the court be lenient in its sentence because I am the breadwinner,” said Rozariro.

The prosecutor, Ms Francisca Mukumbiri, proved that on January 14 at around 5pm, detectives from Braeside were tipped that Rozariro was in possession of dagga at his residence. The detectives went to Rozariro’s residence and advised him that they wanted to search for dagga in his house.

Searches were conducted in every room in Rozariro’s house, but nothing was recovered and detectives went onto the roof and discovered a white sack containing loose dagga. Rozariro was immediately arrested and the recovered dagga was weighed at Harare Main Post Office and recorded a total weight of 2,32 kilograms. The dagga had a street value of $232.