COURTS GETTING TOUGH ON DRUGS

Blessing Masakadza

AS the fight against drugs and substance abuse in the country intensifies, all stakeholders are putting hands together in combating the scourge and the courts have not been left out.

 At the Harare magistrates court, cases of possession or dealing in crystal meth are now appearing before regional magistrates who entertain them for bail and also trial with senior prosecutors appearing for the hearings.

 In the month of September, 15 matters were received for initial hearing while 16 matters were completed with 15 convictions and one acquittal being recorded.

 These were cases of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs and unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs all involving crystal meth.

 In one of the cases one Givemore Kundai Machivenyika was sentenced to an effective 12 months imprisonment by regional magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka.

 In another case, Margret Chigumira was also slapped with an effective eight months imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to the offence.

 Another convict, Raymond Nyambaro was spared jail and ordered to perform 280 hours of community service.

 Health experts have described crystal meth as a poison with dire physical, psychological and social effects which is highly addictive and it has been shown that it leads people into crime.

 An inmate Tinotenda Mauta told ZTN Prime that the drug led him into stealing as he sought to finance the behaviour because of its high dependency.

 Others have become violent after taking the drug, destroying property which has led them into prison.

  Cases of domestic violence have also been on the rise with drug abuse being cited among the causes.