Man uses mbanje to kill cockroaches

By Noleen Makhurane

A BULAWAYO vendor who was arrested recently for allegedly growing dagga told the court he wanted to use the leaves of the plant to kill cockroaches in his house.

Jona Manhure, 26, of Makokoba suburb appeared before magistrate Batanai Tuwe facing a charge of cultivating dagga. Manhure pleaded guilty to the charge.

Prosecuting Raymond Makhazha said that on August 28 police received information that he was cultivating dagga at his house.

“When police arrived at Manhure’s residence they discovered one plant of dagga growing in the garden. The plant was watered and manure put around it to show that it was well maintained, leading to his arrest,” he said.

The court heard that the plant was uprooted and taken to CID drugs section where it was measured and found to be 50 centimetres. Manhure in his defence told the court that he discovered the tree in his yard and started to care for it.

“When I saw the tree in my yard I looked after it because I needed the leaves to kill the cockroaches in my house. My grandfather told me that the leaves killed cockroaches,” he said.

Manhure denied that he sold or smoked the dagga. Upon being ordered to go for blood tests Manhure confessed to smoking dagga.

Magistrate Tuwe postponed the case to today for ruling. The Chronicle