Pastor Arrested For Drug Trafficking

A Bulawayo cleric was recently arrested for allegedly being part of drug smuggling syndicate after receiving a parcel containing dangerous drugs worth $130 000 from Israel. The cleric, Fearless Chitiyo (41) was busted by detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics in Bulawayo with a parcel containing heroin, morphine and codeine weighing more than one kilogramme.

This was after the detectives had been tipped off by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) that they had received a suspicious parcel from Israel. iHarare has established through state-media that the drugs were wrapped in a parcel that contained a small Bible, bottles of holy water and oil to conceal the crime.

Appearing before magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure, facing possession of dangerous drugs charges, the accused was not asked to plead. Prosecuting the case, Mr Terrence Chakabuda told the court that sometime in October last year, Zimra officials tipped off CID detectives that they had received a suspicious package addressed to Chitiyo.

The package was then opened in Chitiyo’s absence so as to investigate the matter. Drugs and other valuables were recovered.

‘The parcel contained a small Bible, 3×300 millilitres of holy oil, 2×300 millilitres of holy water, four small bottles of holy water, yellowish-brown lumps coated with white powder, yellow brown granules and yellowish-brown lumps coated with pink powder’, Mr Chakabuda told the court.

Samples were collected from each of the three packets and taken to a Forensic Science laboratory for examination. A report from the laboratory indicated that the packets contained heroin, morphine and codeine.

On Thursday this week, Selina Makate was arrested by the police after they initiated a controlled delivery. She was arrested whilst collecting the parcel. After being interrogated about the parcel, she revealed that it belonged to Chitiyo, her brother-in-law.

This led to Chitiyo’s arrest.

In the court’s ruling. Chitiyo was remanded on $1 000 bail to March 31.

Magistrate Mbeure sternly ordered him to continued residing at his given address and not to interfere with State witnesses.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:Access LIVE News, Jobs and Exchange rates directly on WhatsApp. Send a WhatsApp message with the word HIE to +263718636522 or just CLICK HERE to try it out. iHarare is now a information one-stop-shop. Please click on the links highlighted in Red to access News, Events, Jobs, Pricecheck, Classifieds, Dating and Education services by iHarare.For any queries contact us by CLICKING HERE .