Caught carrying dagga
The police alleged that the man started running away with his navy blue bag when he saw the police vehicle
Since dagga was legalized, a lot of people think they can carry it around or use it in public.
There are exceptions to the legalization of dagga such as not consuming it in public and having a limited amount in your home.
On Wednesday, September 11 in the afternoon around 12:00, a man was arrested in Phola after he was found with 39 pokes of dagga in his possession in public.
The police alleged that the man started running away with his navy blue bag when he saw the police vehicle.
The officials ran after him and caught up with him.
He was asked why did he run away and claimed that he was scared of the police.
He was arrested on scene.
Phola SAPS communications officer Constable Thabang Ntuli said that the legalization of dagga in the country is still on white paper, meaning that it has not been classified under any act.
He explained the process in which the police follow when dealing with dagga arrests.
“The manner in which we deal with such cases for example, dagga possession or dealings, we check the current circumstance in which the person is found in. The current law stipulates that dagga can be used personally and used in a private space; therefore a person is only arrested if they are found with dagga in a public space or consuming it in a public space. After the arrest, they are taken to the police station, but they are not detained in a holding cell.”
He added: “A detective is assigned and the dagga sample is sent to laboratories. Apparently all cases involving dagga are not enrolled in a court.”
