Residents say they fear police

SOME residents of Katutura’s Gemeengte location say they are living in fear after police allegedly beat them up and fired shots indiscriminately last week.

The alleged shooting happened in Dominicus Boitile Street on Monday after a suspected drug dealer took shelter in Sylivia Neuaka’s house and the police raided the residence.

Neuaka told The Namibian how the police burst into her house scaring the children and demanding to know where drugs were hidden.

“I saw a guy running into the house and a few seconds later, the police followed him. The guy they were chasing jumped over the fence and disappeared into the other yard where the police found drugs (dagga) later,” Neuaka said.

She said the way police handle situations is worrisome citing how they had burst into her house demanding to know where the drugs were kept.

“When we said there were no drugs, they became angry and searched the house but they did not find anything. They were too angry and became brutal for no reason. There was not even time for us to explain. If you open your mouth, you get a slap,” she said adding that the police started shooting and beating up people the moment they left her house.

Jerome Kanana (17) said he was at home when he heard police sirens outside and he came out to see what the commotion was all about.

“When I got out, I saw more than 10 police officers in the street. Some were at the house in my street. I went closer to see what was going on. The police were searching the house. Later, they started pulling a guy I had not seen around before. They later told us to go back into our houses but some refused. Three police officers came to me and started slapping and kicking me. I ran away but they chased me into our yard where they continued beating me,” Kanana said.

Toini Jonas (62) said she was in her house when she heard the gun-shots outside. When she went outside, Jonas said she got the scare of her life.

“It was really scary. I just saw the people running up and down with police officers beating and firing shots. I went back into my house because it looked very dangerous. But when I heard what had happened the next morning, I was surprised that all that violence was just over a small thing,” Jonas said.

Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi blamed the community saying the police officers felt threatened.

“The police officers felt intimidated and threatened by the community members. That is why they opened fire. The police were at a suspected drug dealer’s house. Although they didn’t find anything at his house, they found 110 grammes of dagga in the neighbour’s yard. Some community members started throwing stones at the police when they were trying to interrogate the suspect. The officers felt that their lives were in danger. A police car was damaged in the process,” Shikwambi said.

But Joao Baptista, who claimed to have witnessed the whole scene, said the police became aggressive after they had found no drugs in the said house.

He said the officers dragged Henry Olifant, who was recording the incident on camera, and beat him while telling him that it is illegal to film the police without permission.

Olifant is out on bail of N$600 and is charged with malicious damage to property although he was initially arrested for recording the police action without permission. – See more at:
The Namibian – Residents say they fear police (News | )
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Know your dagga party… Humorous satire.

LNN7 EP03 Melt Sieberhagen plays leader of the Dagga Party …read more    

Cops wag en sê dan hoezit

RIVERSDAL. – Nadat hulle hom drie dae lank dopgehou het, het die cops ’n verdagte(28) in ’n lokval vasgetrek.

’n Vermeende mert, Dawid Sastouw, is met ’n groot shipment dagga in sy huis vasgetrek.

Volgens bronne na aan Sas­touw is dit toeval dat die cops Vrydagoggend die shipment by hom gekry het.

’n Polisiewoordvoerder, kapt. Bernadine Steyn, sê: “Die verdagte is in die Murder City-woonbuurt (Progress ­Estate) gevang met ’n groot hoeveelheid dagga in sy woning.

“Ons kan bevestig dat ­Dawid Sastouw Maandag in die hof verskyn het op drie aanklagte van handeldryf in dagga. Die sake is uitgestel tot 18 September.”

Die cops het verlede week nóg operasies gehou. In dié operasies is beslag gelê op 24pakke dagga en kontant.

Die Son – Cops wag en sê dan hoezit
dieson.mobi
’n Polisiewoordvoerder, kapt. Bernadine Steyn, sê: “Die verdagte is in die Murder City-woonbuurt (Progress ­Estate) gevang met ’n groot hoeveelheid dagga in sy woning. …read more    

An estimated R300 000 worth of marijuana was confiscated by the SAPS during a sting operation held in the Copesville area during the early hours of this morning. Two arrests were also made.

The potent marijuana seized totalled an estimated R300 000 street value. Thousands of rands in cash and the trap money used this morning were also confiscated.

It is believed that the drugs are emanating directly from Lesotho. It is also believed that the arrested suspect is alleged to have been dealing in the Greater Durban, Inanda, Kwa-Mashu and Pietermaritzburg areas.

“Drug dealers should always be aware that they can be arrested at any time. Copesville is one of the areas that we are focusing on and we want to assure the community that despite the challenges we experience investigating drug cases we will not loosen our grip on drug dealers in the province and we will continue to invade their space,” said provincial commander Lieutenant General Mammonye Ngobeni.

Investigations continue.

Marijuana stash worth R300 000 confiscated in raid
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Thousands of rands in cash and the trap money used this morning were also confiscated. …read more    

Can Dagga Improve Your Emotional State?

A new study says THC could play an important role in how we process negative emotions

It's no secret that zol can put a smile on many people's faces, but research suggests that the drug's positive effects go beyond just getting high. A new study published in the peer-reviewed academic journal European Neuropsychopharmacology suggests that the brain's endocannabinoid system – which is activated by THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana – may play an important role in emotional processing, “an essential aspect of appropriate social interactions and interpersonal relationships.”

Specifically, the study's authors found that participants given THC in a controlled experiment showed lower brain activity in response to negative stimuli than did those given placebo. A bias toward negative stimuli has been linked to mental illnesses like depression, and evidence that THC reduces this effect suggests that the endocannabinoid system could play an important, beneficial role in how humans experience emotions and mood.

Researchers measured test-specific effects of THC administration on about a dozen men who had used marijuana at least four times in the past year, but no more than once a week. Half of them were given THC, the other half placebo; the researchers then showed all the men images of faces with expressions that appeared either “fearful” or “happy.” They found that participants given THC showed significantly decreased accuracy in matching facial expressions with negative emotion, but showed about the same accuracy for positive associations. Using brain imaging technology called fMRI, they were also able to watch the effects of THC on the parts of the participants' brains that process emotion – identifying a “network-wide shift from a bias for negative emotional content towards a bias for positive emotional content.”

The researchers concluded that the way the human brain reacts to THC could have significant implications for mental health treatment. “These findings,” they wrote, “add to existing evidence that implicate the endocannabinoid system in modulation of emotional reactions, and support a previously suggested role for the endocannabinoid system in abnormal emotional processing associated with various psychiatric disorders.”

Can Dagga Improve Your Emotional State? – Rolling Stone South Africa
www.rollingstone.co.za
A new study says THC could play an important role in how we process negative emotions It's no secret that zol can put a smile on many people's faces,… …read more    

Two unlawfully stopped and searched then arrested for dagga

The first arrest took place on Saturday in Durban Drive, Slovo Park, when Sector 4 patrols searched a suspicious looking man.

“They approached him and also searched him when they found dagga in his possession,” says Springs police spokesman Captain Johannes Ramphora.

The second arrest was made in Fourth Street, Springs CBD, on Sunday at 9:30pm.

According to Capt Ramphora the police were doing their normal patrols when they say another suspicious looking man.

“They did the stop and search procedure, just to find dagga in his possession as well,” says Capt Ramphora.

Both men were arrested and taken to the Springs police cells. They will appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court soon.

Two arrested with dagga | Springs Advertiser
springsadvertiser.co.za
Two arrests for possession of dagga were made this weekend by the Springs police. …read more    

Advocate busts woman with eight bags of dagga on her way to Kimberley

Captain Netshivodza with advocate Peter Mosome Thekiso stand alongside the dagga.

A woman was caught with eight bags of dagga on the R558 highway near Sasol garage on August 22.

The woman (28), from a Soweto hostel was hitch-hiking on the highway, opposite the garage when she was caught by an advocate who was assisting her onto a taxi.

The advocate, Mosome Peter Thekiso, was on checking up on his taxis, when he spotted the lady and offered to take direct her to a vehicle.

He said that while loading her belongings onto the taxi, he smelt dagga in her bags. He then requested to search her, discovering a huge amount of dagga. When he asked the lady where she was taking it, she allegedly said she was en-route to Kimberley.

The woman was brought to the Lenasia police station and is in custody.

“She has been charged with possession of dagga, which is likely to be changed to dealing, considering the amount found on her,” police spokesperson, Captain Hector Nedtshivodza said.

He added, “We would like to thank the advocate for the citizen’s arrest and we are going to investigate further.”

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For a safer smoke switch to dagga…

Timeline Photos …read more