Two Harare men were today slapped with 10 years imprisonment after they were found guilty of possessing 30 bags of mbanje weighing 710kg with a street value of $51 000 in Damafalls.
The duo will serve eight years effective, with two years suspended on conditions of good behaviour although they denied the charge of contravening the Drug Act.
Alphonse Mushanawani and Brighton Dinda (both 28) were arrested on April 13 2018.
It was alleged that the mbanje was allegedly found stashed in a Toyota Hiace belonging to Mushanawani.
The State was also of the case that after they were ambushed, Mushanawani, who was driving the vehicle tried to flee – prompting the police detectives to fire warning shots forcing him to stop.
The pair appeared before magistrate Ms Estere Chivasa and tendered their defense outlines through their lawyers, Messrs Admire Rubaya and Oliver Marwa.
In denying the charge Mushanawani said Johannes Moyo and his friends hired his vehicle and were the ones who were arrested at the scene.
Mushanawani accused some police detectives of working in cahoots with his rivals in the transport business in a bid to bring him down.
The alleged state informer has captured a clique of police officers that he feeds with false information.
It is alleged that police received a tip-off that the two were in possession of mbanje.
They drove to Damafalls where they allegedly intercepted Mushanawani and Dinda while they were driving along a dust road.
The convicts were then arrested and 30 bags of mbanje were re- covered.
