A PUNGENT smell filled the tiny Marondera courtroom as the State paraded an exhibit which landed Kudakwashe Jarasi (39), a farmer in Macheke, in the dock.
The exhibit was 88 plants, measuring an average of 1,5 metres in length each, which happened to be marijuana Jarasi was reportedly cultivating at his plot.
Jarasi’s neighbour and fellow farmer, Surprise Chitate, was jointly accused in committing offence.
Police details recovered loads of dried marijuana or mbanje in Chitate’s scotchcart as well as thriving plants in his maize field.
Chitate did not waste the court’s time by pleading guilty to the charges and was sentenced to two years in prison.
However, in one of the most intriguing legal cases at Marondera Magistrates Court, Jarasi, through his lawyer Mugove Mazanhi, denied that the plants were marijuana.
“Your worship, these plants are not dagga or marijuana, they could be potatoes or lantana camara plants. There is no forensic evidence from the police officers that these plants are, indeed, that of marijuana,” Mazanhi argued.
The argument won Jarasi freedom after he was acquitted by magistrate Esther Mabika. Speaking outside the court, Mazanhi said his client was not guilty of the offence.
