Mbabane – What began as a desperate attempt to put food on the table ended with handcuffs at the Ngwenya Border Gate.
A man’s “hustle” took a wrong turn when Celumusa Comfort Bhembe, a father of three, was arrested after being found in possession of 6.71 kilograms of dagga, neatly packaged in 18 small parcels. The hustling father was stopped by border officials during a routine inspection, leading to his arrest and subsequent conviction.
Bhembe appeared before the Mbabane Magistrates Court charged with contravening Section 7 as read with Section 8(1) of the Opium and Habit-Forming Drugs Act No. 37 of 1922, as amended. The court heard that the dagga was intended for sale and that the accused had no licence to possess or transport it.
When asked to explain his actions, Bhembe pleaded for mercy, saying unemployment had driven him to the wrong side of the law. “I was only hustling to feed my children. Being unemployed does not mean I should have done it. It was an honest mistake, and I promise not to repeat it,” he said, expressing deep remorse.
He told the court that he was a first-time offender and had acted out of desperation, not defiance. However, the court maintained that unemployment could not be used as an excuse to break the law.
In delivering the sentence, the magistrate acknowledged his plea of guilt and remorse but emphasized the seriousness of drug-related offences. Bhembe was sentenced to pay a fine of E3,000 or serve three years in prison if he fails to pay. The dagga was to be confiscated and forfeited to the state for disposal.
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