WENTWORTH Court imposed a sentence of more than five years combined in prison for three people who were caught in possession of heroin in Wentworth.
On 30 October, Jonathan Jacobs was convicted for possession of heroin.
Earlier in the year he was caught with 28 straws and 290 straws of heroin in separate arrests. On the first count he was sentenced to 12 months in prison or a fine of R5,000 and on the second count he was given 24 months’ imprisonment or a fine of R10,000. The sentences will run consecutively.
Marion Jacobs was sentenced on 10 November to three months in prison or a fine of R2,000 for attempting to smuggle 20 straws of heroin to Jacobs while he was in custody.
The final conviction was for Nhlanhla Zitha on 11 November. Due to two previous convictions, he was given a sentence of two years in prison for the possession of 38 heroin straws. He was immediately taken to sent to Westville Prison to start his sentence.
Handing out judgement of Jacobs, the magistrate said: “The offence is very serious and prevalent in this area. It is flooded with drugs, especially heroin. It destroy homes and families. Children start from a young age and it destroys their lives. The law allows a district court magistrate to impose up to 25 years’ imprisonment for dealing and possession of drugs. The community in this area is sick of drugs.
Recently the community had a march and handed a memorandum to the station commander, voicing their displeasure with drugs and corruption in the area. They said are unhappy with the way the police and courts are dealing with dealers and drugs. The courts have been placed in the spotlight to impose proper sentences or it can lead to the administration of justice to fall into disrepute. Or it will lead to people taking the law into their own hands, which is unacceptable.”
