The Voice (Francistown)
29 April 2008
On Tuesday, 32-year old Ignatius Kadare was almost on his knees begging Masunga magistrate Moyo to forgive him for what he termed "the mistake of a life time".
Kadare had been brought before the court to answer to the charge of possession of dagga. Immediately after the charge sheet was read to him, Kadare wasted no time and pleaded guilty. When he was asked to mitigate he spoke in a very low remorseful voice and started to plead for a lighter sentence. He told the magistrate that he was a train driver and was on leave. "I am on leave and I am supposed to resume duty on the 24th of April. If I don't report for duty for seven consecutive days from then, I will be dismissed from work and thus I will not have a source of income to take care of my family as I am married with three children. Moreover, I am a doing a degree through distance learning at Zimbabwe Open University and this is my last year. I am writing my last module in June so I am pleading with this court to at least order me to pay a fine instead of sentencing me to a prison term."
When the magistrate asked him if he was aware that the minimum fine was P1500 he said he was and if at all he was ordered to pay that he would be able to pay it as he had some means to get the money. Kadare was ordered to pay a fine of P1700 payable immediately, failing which he would be imprisoned for six months. He was, moreover, sentenced to 14 months in prison, which was wholly suspended for three years.
The facts of the case are that on the 4th of April 2008 at Ramokgwebana boarder post, Kadare was found in possession of 1.538kg of dagga which he had put in five separate envelopes which he hid in his travelling bag.
Speaking to The Voice afterwards, Kadare said that he had used his Z$800 million (P120) salary to buy the dagga with intent to sell it in Gaborone to make more money to feed his family and pay school fees for his 14-year old daughter.
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