Old age keeps ganja planter out of prison
Top South Korea University in industrialisation MoUs
A TOP South Korean university which has partnered some African universities to establish industrial parks on the continent has said it is interested in signing memoranda of understanding with local institutions of higher learning.
President of Chungnam University Professor Deong Seong whose 65 year –old institution boasts of over 100 business units where students are attached for three years said this while sharing the university’s success story with a delegation led by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology A 68-YEAR-OLD Bulilima man has appeared in court for cultivating 19 plants of dagga, but has been spared jail due to his age with the magistrate telling him to go back home and live like a responsible old man.
Japhet Ncube of Mpugwi Village in Madlambuzi area was convicted on his own plea of guilty to unlawful cultivation of dagga by Plumtree magistrate, Mr Taurai Mawere.
He was however sentenced to a wholly suspended 12 months jail term after the magistrate took the old man’s advanced age into consideration.
“I wanted you to perform community service but there is no institution which is located close to your homestead. Sending you to prison isn’t an option because you are an old man. Development Professor Jonathan Moyo.
Prof Moyo is leading a delegation of vice chancellors and legal experts to universities in Asia and South America as part of efforts to turn local universities into industrial hubs.
In South Korea, Prof Seong whose university already runs a 1 200 bed hospital said his institution runs a number of research centres.
He said his institution embarked on a paradigm shift from the 1970s and now in the field of education, students learn entrepreneurship from the first year, to understand industrial revolution.
“My university has 1 000 family enterprises, 1 000 business people joining us in the university business
“Go back to your homestead and live like a responsible old man. Don’t cultivate dagga anymore because if you do I will send you to prison. The dagga which was found has been forfeited to the State,” said Mr Mawere as he passed his sentence.
Prosecuting, Mrs Rose Sibanda said police detectives found the dagga in Ncube’s garden on April 11.
“On 11 April around 4PM police received a tip-off that Ncube had planted dagga in his garden. Police detectives stationed at Madlambuzi Police Station proceeded to his home and found 19 plants of dagga which were about 1,5 metres high each. Ncube was arrested immediately,” she said.
In mitigation, Ncube said when he planted the dagga he initially wanted to see whether it would grow or not. He said he subsequently decided to cultivate it for sale to support his family.
He said he lives with three grandchildren who relied on him for sustenance.—@DubeMatutu. incubation strategy at the same time my students can join them for internship and my government accepts this kind of strategy.
“So Chungnam National University is playing the central role for both of them to work together,” said Prof Seong.
He said universities must strive to invest in research and innovation to be successful in the industrialisation process.
Prof Seong said his institution was open to signing MOUs with Zimbabwean universities through the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.
“Six months ago I was invited by the Indonesian government to sign six MOUs with their national universities to enhance science and so this is the same strategy we can use based on an understanding between your ministry and my university.
“Then we can go for different future collaborations with different sectors. So this could be a small present to the honourable minister since you are here,” said Prof Seong
The Chungnam University president said his institution is involved in a number of African projects they were already working on with UNESCO in Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria and Tunisia through the establishment of science parks. —@ AuxiliaK.