By Fanuel Chinowaita
Two men from Ruwaka Village under Chief Mutambara in Chimanimani have been arrested after 770 dagga plants were allegedly discovered growing alongside maize crops in their fields.
The suspects are Lovemore Zambasira, 73, and Liberty Maunganidze, 38.
According to National Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the arrests followed a tip-off received on October 25, 2026, alleging that the two were cultivating dagga.
Officers travelled about 30 kilometres to the village and arrived at the suspects’ homesteads at around 4.30am on October 26. The two allegedly acknowledged the allegations and led the officers to their fields.
A search at Zambasira’s homestead reportedly uncovered a plastic bag containing unprocessed dagga in his bedroom. His field yielded 690 dagga plants growing alongside maize, while 80 plants were allegedly found in Maunganidze’s field.
The plants were uprooted and seized. The unprocessed dagga recovered from Zambasira’s bedroom weighed 800 grammes.
The case has been referred to the Criminal Investigation Department’s Drugs section in Mutare for further investigations.
The two are accused of unlawful possession or use of dangerous drugs under Section 157(1)(c) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].