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FILE PHOTO. Picture: Chris Collingridge
A Durban magistrate has warned five people convicted of operating a Durban North dagga laboratory to ensure they hired attorneys so their case could proceed to sentencing.
Tracey Ann Pretorius, her boyfriend Tyrone Hofland, Travis Bailey, Bonzile Chutshela and Senzele Dlezi were convicted of one count of drug dealing in November last year by magistrate N Kathrada.
The five were arrested in October 2010 after a raid at Pretorius’s Briar Lane home, where 44kg of dagga worth about R2.2 million was found. The dagga was of a particularly potent strain and was being cultivated in a concealed hydroponic laboratory.
In her judgment, Kathrada found that while the State had relied on circumstantial evidence, the defence had not disputed it. All five had elected not to testify in their defence.
The case had been set down for sentencing on Tuesday, but attorney Sarah Pugsley, representing all five, applied for the case to be sent to the high court for a special review, because her clients had given different instructions to her and advocate JP van der Veen.
Kathrada turned down the application and Pugsley withdrew from the matter.
The magistrate warned the group that they needed to appoint attorneys. “I will not be entertaining any excuses if one of you does not have an attorney on the next occasion. Your attorneys will also have time to prepare… but this matter has to be finalised.”
The case was adjourned to next week. - The Mercury
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Sharing is caring, wrote
Eco Friendly, wrote
Radical , wrote
Wish I was there to help. Never did smoke pot....but all that "smoke" must surely have zonked those assisting to burn the plant down..... waste of good vegetation. The COPS make too much fuss out of this because they peddle the same thing... I should know..
Anonymous, wrote
A Rastafarian takes English classes. Teacher instructs him to make a sentence with the word "ear". He takes a drag from his joint, inhales deeply, while keeping the smoke in, he hands the joint over saying "ear".
Anonymous, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
Burning weed, is probably the worst way of disposing of it... Lol... idiots... look at those clouds???
Daemojizzle, wrote
Juan, wrote
This is not even a real crime. Exponentially more people die from tobacco and alcohol. Zuma and his buddies can steal millions from the poor and get away with it, but someone grows a bit of weed and they end up in court?
JFT, wrote
Benny, wrote
I wish journos would stop referring to dagga "laboratories". It makes dagga sound like some kind of chemical and the journo sound clueless. If it's the cops using the word then they are obviously trying to make the whole thing sound more sinister and cover up their failure to apprehend people selling real drugs.
Wayne, wrote
I like this Judges attitude. Get it over and done with and save the tax payer some money.
Chilumbu, wrote
Monglapeya, wrote
What are these imbersiles doing? Bashisa Impepo.... I'm sho the bystanders along with those that were assisting were High as Kites.
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