An undocumented foreign national man caught in possession of medicine supplies is remanded in custody at the Botshabelo Police Station in the Free State. David Munashe (42), believed to originate from Zimbabwe, appeared in the Botshabelo Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 13 September, following his arrest two days prior at about 19:40.
Munashe’s case has been postponed to 20 September as part of the police’s further investigations. He was arrested after he reportedly failed to give satisfactory answers regarding the origin of the medication which the police found in his possession.
Col Thabo Covane, spokesperson for the police in the Mangaung municipality, said Munashe faces charges of possession of presumably stolen property, contravention of the Medicines and Controlled Substances Act 101 of 1965, and contravention of the Immigration Act by being in South Africa illegally. He said the arrest by the Botshabelo Crime Prevention Task Team members was a result of reliable information received. “The team swiftly responded and tactically approached an African male carrying suspiciously wrapped bags in the H1-Section. Upon searching the male, the police found in his possession 313 bottles of BronCleer cough syrup valued at R15 650 and ten Salterpyn syrup valued at R500. The medicines were seized and the suspect detained in police custody as he was also found not having proper documents to be in South Africa,” said Covane.
