by Gideon Madzikatidze
GWANDA – Two serving prison inmates, Hloniphani Mkwananzi (42) and Tiisetse Ngulube have been trading food items including four packages of sugar and three packages of instant porridge received from their relatives in exchange for dagga.
They were sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.
Appearing before Gwanda magistrates court, circumstances were that inmate Mkwananzi had been working in the prison gardens at Hampden plots on June 13 2025 alongside fellow convict, Ngulube. A routine search conducted by prison officers upon the prison inmates’ return to the cells discovered 19 sachets of dagga and four 200ml bottles of cane spirits from the watering bucket.
The contraband was recovered from Ngulube who is serving a 12-month assault sentence. Further investigations led to the recovery and arrest of Etsang Mdlongwa who was the supplier after being found in possession of dagga seeds, exchanged foodstuffs (sugar and instant porridge), 22 bottles of cane spirits and empty similar sachets to those found with inmates.
The street value of dagga seized was ZiG$1,400.00.