Victoria Falls drugs haul: Safari camp manager gets bail

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A Victoria Falls safari camp manager who was allegedly found with a huge stash of illegal drugs and equipment police believe was used to manufacture some of the narcotics has been given $50 000 bail by a local magistrate.

Victoria Falls resident magistrate Lindie Maphosa granted Cornelious Smit (62) of Mabalengwe Safaris the bail on Tuesday following his arrest last week after a tip-off that he was allegedly manufacturing illegal substances.

Smit was not asked to plead to charges of Contravening Section 5 of the Harmful Liquids Act Chapter 9:10 “Manufacturing of Harmful Liquids and unlawful possession of cannabis oil and dagga.

Prosecutors said on October 7 at around 12PM, police received a tip-off that Smit was in possession of dangerous drugs at his residence.

Acting on the tipoff, a warrant of search and seizure was obtained from the Victoria Falls magistrate court and on the same day, the Victoria Falls district team comprising of Criminal Investigations Department and Narcotics, Support Unit and Canine led by Assistant Inspector Tavengwa visited Smit’s house.

The team produced a search warrant into his five roomed house and recovered a 25 litre container with two litres of ethanol for processing cannabis, one axe with wooden handle, two by 20 litres distilling containers for harmful liquids, one condenser steel spirits serial number 65821, 20 litre electrical cane, two by five millilitres (processed cannabis oil, 610 mls cannabis oil, 100 mls imonnelo oil for processing cannabis, 10 litre harmful liquid, two plastic tubes and raw dagga weighing 6.7 kilogrammes.

Police records also showed that Smit was also found in possession of 18 litres of illicit beer called Kachasu leading to his arrest.

Smit, who was represented by Matshobana Ncube of Matshobana and Ncube Attorney’s bail conditions included him reporting twice a week on Monday and Friday at Victoria Falls police station between 6AM and 6PM.

He was also ordered to surrender his passport, not to interfere with state witnesses and to reside at his given home address.

He will be back in court on November 2 for further remand.