Zimbabwean courts are imposing stiff penalties on individuals convicted of drug-related crimes, underscoring the state’s firm resolve to curb a growing substance abuse crisis.
Recent judgments show an unmistakable trend — harsher sentencing, minimal leniency, and growing public awareness of the country’s anti-drug drive. Courts are handing down sentences ranging from two to eight years for offenses involving dagga, crystal meth (mutoriro), and other illicit substances.
In Silobela, Chewame Wasili’s four-year sentence for 23.55 kilograms of dagga underscored the judiciary’s zero-tolerance stance, while in Bulawayo, an eight-year term for trafficking 1.26 kilograms of crystal meth set one of the year’s toughest precedents.
Drug-Related Cases Before Zimbabwean Courts (2025)
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| Name / Age | Location | Substance & Quantity | Estimated Value (US$) | Sentence / Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chewame Wasili, 49 | Silobela | 23.55 kg dagga | — | 4 years (1 suspended) | Convicted of dealing |
| Unnamed woman, 34 | Rusape | Crystal meth (unspecified quantity) | — | 24 months (6 suspended) | Convicted of possession |
| Unnamed woman, 25 | Harare | Dagga (unspecified quantity) | — | 3 years (1 suspended) | Possession conviction |
| Unnamed man, Bulawayo | Bulawayo | 1.26 kg crystal meth | 6,300 | 8 years (3 suspended) | Convicted of trafficking |
Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who chairs the National Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse, has previously warned that offenders face severe consequences.
“If you are found selling or in possession, you will be jailed for up to 15 years,” she said. “When people abuse drugs, they become counterproductive, which goes against President Mnangagwa’s development drive. Let’s fight this scourge just as we fought COVID-19.”
Government policy now integrates law enforcement, rehabilitation, and community education, backed by key legislation including the Dangerous Drugs Act, Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act, and Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police announced on their X handlre recently that three vehicles — a Toyota Prado, VW Bora and Toyota Wish — were forfeited to the state after the conviction of their owners for drug trafficking. Police have also intensified raids on trafficking networks.
At Aspindale Truck Stop in Harare, six suspects — Robin Kudakwashe Tiba, 27, Tungamirai Mavindimidze, 40, Leonard Takura, 44, Banwell Chilimba, 40, Tonderai Rusikira, 29 and Takunda Rusikira, 26 — were arrested while taking delivery of 210 kilograms of skunk dagga from a transporter. Authorities recovered the contraband and the AD Van used as a getaway vehicle.
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