A TANZANIAN has been sentenced to an effective 15 years' imprisonment following his conviction by a Zimbabwean court for drug trafficking.
The offender, Sleiman Amour (44), appeared at the Bulawayo High Court for unlawful possession of methamphetamine.
The State case was that on October 23, 2025, police officers manning a roadblock at the 18km peg along Bulawayo-Plumtree road stopped a South African-registered Mann truck heading towards Plumtree.
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It was further heard that the police requested the Tanzanian driver to produce a temporary import permit and he failed, forcing the cops to search the vehicle. As this was happening, Amour, who was a passenger in the truck, led officers to the loading box where there were lunch boxes wrapped in foil and loaded among bags of beans. He opened one of the boxes and started eating spaghetti in a bid to divert their attention.
Some of the officers conducted a further search, leading to the discovery of more boxes containing methamphetamine hidden in a specially designed compartment on the roof of the truck.
Sensing danger, the driver and another passenger fled the scene, but the offender was arrested before he could escape. The truck was subsequently seized and forfeited to the State.
In a statement following sentencing, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said drug misuse and trafficking in harmful substances were destroying lives and communities across the country hence the need for stiffer sentences against peddlers.
"Cases like this highlight the serious consequences of choosing the drug trade over honest living. Let this be a warning to all, the law is watching and the courts are taking a firm stance," the NPAZ noted.
