The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
TWO Chipinge suspects (man and woman) will live to regret the day they chose to grow mbanje for commercial purposes after they were arrested last week by police officers who were on patrol to flush out macadamia thieves.
Chipinge district police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Blessing Kadzuraumera confirmed the incident.
Ass Insp Kadzuraumera said on January 20, 2018 police officers were on patrol in areas surrounding macadamia nuts plantations in order to curb an upsurge in macadamia nuts theft cases when they got a tip off on the suspects activities.
“While on patrol, Sergeant Saungweme, Staff Sergeant Munamati, Constables Ruguke, Shati, Singo, Ngwenya and Matsvimbo received information to the effect that the two suspects, Lucia Mhlanga and Trymore Chinoda were cultivating mbanje in their backyard fields.
“The police officers then reacted swiftly to the information and immediately proceeded to the homesteads of the alleged perpetrators.
“Upon arrival, they searched Lucia Mhlanga’s hut and recovered a two-litre container filled with prepared mbanje.
“The officers also recovered a total of 316 plants of mbanje plants, which they then uprooted from her backyard field.
“Leaving her house, they proceeded to Trymore Chinoda’s house where he led the police officers to his backyard and they found another four plants of mbanje.
The plants had a height measuring between 0, 5 and 1, 5 metres long. The two culprits were arrested and are expected to appear in court this week,” he said.
Ass Insp Kadzuraumera urged members of the public to desist from dealing in dangerous drugs.
The arrest of the two culprits occurred barely a month after a 67-year old Chipinge man was arrested and appeared in court after he was found with 94 mbanje plants by the police.
