Zimdancehall star Shinso fined after guilty plea in dagga case

PROMINENT Zimdancehall artist Romeo Anthony, popularly known as Shinso, has been convicted of smoking dagga after pleading guilty alongside four co-accused at the Mbare Magistrates’ Court.

Anthony (37) appeared before a magistrate together with Themba Sibanda (26), Shumba Tendai (43), Kennedy Simbanegavi (37) and Cosmas Muzanzi (41).

All five pleaded guilty to a charge of smoking a dangerous drug, dagga, in contravention of Section 157(1)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].

The court convicted the accused as pleaded and imposed a US$200 fine on each. In default of payment, they face four months’ imprisonment, with three months suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

According to the State outline, the offence occurred on January 5, 2026, at house number 176 Engineering, Highfields, Harare, where all five accused reside.

Prosecutors told the court that at around 6.30pm on the day in question, detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics were on a follow-up operation in Highfields when they observed the five men standing near a parked Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

The detectives allegedly saw the accused “exchanging a cigarette which the detectives suspected to be dagga,” prompting them to move in.

Upon approaching the group, the detectives identified themselves by producing their identification cards. The suspected dagga cigarette was seized from Anthony, who was cited as accused number one in the matter.

The court heard that the accused were then arrested and escorted to CID Drugs and Narcotics offices together with the recovered “rod of dagga” for further investigations.

In its submissions, the prosecution stressed that the accused “had no right to smoke dagga.”

Ranga Jere presided over the case.