Nkomazi – A weekend police operation in the northern Hhohho region ended with the arrest of a 70-year-old man after officers discovered over 75 kilograms of dagga hidden in his homestead.
The suspect, Sipho Dlamini, was taken into custody following a raid at his rural home where police uprooted and burnt dagga trees hanging around the property. Inside the house, officers uncovered 13 bags of dagga weighing approximately 75.5kg.
Dlamini was with his wife when police arrived. Law enforcement officers reported there was no resistance during the arrest, and the couple cooperated throughout the operation.
Dlamini appeared before Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati facing charges under the Farmers Act, which categorises dagga as a prohibited substance. He was unable to produce any permit to legally possess the dagga.
During the court session, Magistrate Vilakati acknowledged Dlamini’s advanced age and noted that the man had raised 15 children. The magistrate remarked it was apparent Dlamini might be covering up for younger family members suspected to be the real owners of the dagga.
The court pointed out that many families in northern Hhohho rely on dagga farming to survive and fund their children’s education, but the drug remains illegal under Eswatini law.
Dlamini pleaded guilty to the charges and was granted bail under strict conditions, with an option of a 10-year prison sentence or E15,000 bail. The court ordered that he must pay E5,000 upfront for release, with a further E50,000 suspended on condition he does not commit a similar offence. The sentence also included a two-year suspended prison term.
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