Qacha’s Nek, June 2 — Senior Resident Magistrate Ts’eliso Bale of the Qacha’s Nek Magistrate Court has sentenced Nobahle Mohlonyane (45) of Ha Ramoroke, currently residing at Thifa, to one year’s imprisonment or a fine of M1,000 for acquiring dagga.
The sentence was wholly suspended for one year on condition that she does not commit a similar offence during the suspension period.
Delivering judgment,Senior Resident Magistrate Bale said he had taken into account that Mohlonyane was a first-time offender and had saved the court’s time by pleading guilty.
The court heard that on May 21, 2026 at Thifa, police found quantities of dagga at her place without a licence or being an operator acting pursuant to a licence, in contravention of Section 9(1)(b) of the Drugs of Abuse Act No. 5 of 2008.
Senior Crown Counsel Bokang Lebona accepted the guilty plea, saying evidence from the investigating officer would show that members of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS), while conducting an operation, received information about the unlawful possession of dagga.
He said the police proceeded to the accused’s residence, where they conducted a search and discovered dagga packed in plastic bags. Upon demanding a licence, officers found that she had none and subsequently charged her.
The court further heard that police confiscated 49 sachets containing 0.7 kilograms of dagga, as well as an additional one kilogram package.
Advocate Lebona informed the court that Mohlonyane was a first-time offender.
In mitigation, she told the court that she committed the offence in an attempt to raise money for her child’s school fees after her fatcake business stopped performing well.
“I pray the court to be lenient and give me a light sentence, at least one year imprisonment. I am very remorseful,” she said.
Her lawyer, Advocate Motebo Ntabe, pleaded for a non-custodial sentence.
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