32-YEAR-OLD man from Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo was fined $25 000 or 90 days in prison for cultivating dagga in his garden.

Descent Dube appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Shepherd Mjanja facing a charge of cultivation of dagga as defined in Section 157 (1) (c) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

Dube pleaded guilty and was fined $25 000 or (90 days in jail).

Dube, however, stunned the court when he claimed he cultivated dagga as part of his culture as it helped him gain strength.

The court heard that on 6 December 2022 and at around 9am, detectives from the Criminal Investigative Department (CID) Drugs and Narcotics received information to the effect that Dube had cultivated dagga in his garden.

On the same day at around 3pm, the detectives teamed up and proceeded to Dube’s house.

Upon their arrival, they introduced themselves and advised Dube about the purpose of their visit.

The detectives then conducted a search and they found a single plant of dagga inside Dube’s vegetable garden measuring 200 centimetres and that led to his immediate arrest.

— BMetro