Excellent Customer Service: Court hears how prostitute boosted sex drive and keep clients returning
A 23-year-old woman told a court in Inyathi that she smoked mbanje to increase her sex drive and satisfy her clients, an admission that came as she was convicted of unlawful possession or use of dangerous drugs.
Sharon Ndlovu appeared before Inyathi resident magistrate Challenge Mahembe after she was arrested in a public place while smoking mbanje. The court heard that children were present when detectives found her, and that a sachet of the drug was recovered during a search.
Ndlovu was ordered to pay a US$300 fine by 31 August 2026. If she fails to pay, she will serve six months in prison. A further four months of her sentence were suspended for five years on condition that she does not commit an offence involving the unlawful possession, use, consumption, dealing, manufacture or cultivation of dangerous drugs.
The case was brought under Section 157(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The court was told that detectives received a tip-off on 23 August 2026 that Ndlovu was in possession of mbanje. They went to the reported location and found her smoking.
“The detectives rushed to the scene and found Ndlovu smoking mbanje. They searched her and found a sachet of mbanje,” prosecutor Happiness Nleya told the court.
Ndlovu was given an exhibit seizure confirmation receipt. The seized substance was taken to the Turk Mine Post Office for weighing, and both the mbanje and the weighing certificate were produced in court.
During mitigation, Ndlovu spoke openly about her work and her reason for using the drug.
“I am a sex worker. I smoke mbanje to boost my sex drive, and it makes me perform better and please my clients so that they hire me again,” she said.
The prosecution urged the court to impose a harsh penalty, arguing that Ndlovu had been smoking the drug where children could see her.
“She exposed children to drugs and she must be punished for being a bad influence. The State is praying for a harsh penalty of a fine,” Nleya said.
In passing sentence, Mahembe said the courts did not condone the consumption of mbanje. He said Ndlovu was still young but was putting her future at risk.
“The offender is fairly young but is putting her life at risk and has the potential of becoming a drug addict. The Government is trying hard to fight the worrying rise of drug and substance abuse,” he said.
“The courts, as guardians of society, should send a clear message that smoking mbanje is not allowed,” Mahembe said.
The operation also led to the seizure of 8,746 kilogrammes of cannabis, 4,323 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, 163 grammes of cocaine and 31 cannabis plants. Police confiscated nearly two million bottles of cough syrup suspected of being abused as an intoxicant, along with unregistered and complementary medicines valued at ZiG4,135,600.
Official police records released in June also listed women among those convicted in drug cases. Rosemary Revai Mafaiti, 32, was sentenced to 30 months for unlawful possession of mbanje, while Ester Phiri, 36, received 24 months for the same offence. Noleen Nyathi, 39, was sentenced to 12 months, and Precious Moyo, 33, received 24 months. Other convictions involved smoking mbanje, dealing in dangerous drugs and possession of dangerous substances.
Ndlovu’s case also follows the imprisonment of another woman whose work in the sex trade became linked to drugs. Leah Chikwekwe, a 27-year-old woman from Mbare, was sent to Chikurubi Female Prison after a night-time scheme involving a prospective client went wrong.
Chikwekwe reportedly agreed to meet the man for US$10, then told him she had access to a flat. After taking his money, she asked him to wait outside while she checked whether the room was clear. She changed her clothes, put on a hat and left through another door.
About 30 minutes later, she returned and approached the same man as if she did not know him. He told her he was waiting for a woman who looked like her but was wearing different clothes and a hat. Chikwekwe then offered to help him find the woman, but demanded another US$10. He paid again before she led him away and disappeared.
Chikwekwe said the US$20 was used to buy drugs for resale. During a visit by students taking part in an education and crime-prevention programme, she warned them against quick money, bad company and experimenting with drugs.
“I urge the students not to be tempted to make quick money through immorality, partying with misbehaving friends, or experimenting with drugs and substances,” she said. “As students, do not misuse your pocket money for drugs. I have come to understand that the wrath of the law will always catch up with anyone enjoying the fruits of illicit deals.”
Another inmate, Lavender Zisengwe, who was also arrested for drug dealing, described the restrictions of prison life to the visiting students.
“In prison, you are forced to wear the same clothes no matter your case or background, you must retire to bed before the night and your movement is controlled,” Zisengwe said. “That is what happens after committing various criminal activities.”
The cases have unfolded against a difficult economic backdrop in which sex work has become a source of income for many women. A survey covering people who use drugs found that sex work was the most frequently mentioned source of income in Harare, where it accounted for 36.07 per cent of responses. It was also reported as a source of income in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Bulawayo.
The same pressure has helped create a market for untested sexual performance products. In Harare’s central business district, street vendors sell sachets of herbal powders for about US$1. Some products are marketed as treatments for erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, reduced sex drive and the need to “clean” the body.
One herbal seller said she had been selling the products for more than a decade and moved to the city centre after noticing rising demand. Another seller said she sourced, ground and packaged the herbs herself. Mugondorosi bark and roots are among the products sold, although conservationists have warned that overharvesting is putting the tree under pressure.
Traditional healer George Kandiero has warned that some products sold on the streets are fake and can cause serious health problems. He urged customers to use approved remedies and buy from registered practitioners. The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe requires medicines sold commercially to receive approval, while practitioners are required to meet registration rules.
The link between sex work, drug use and quick-money schemes has also appeared in older cases. In one incident in 2012, a commercial sex worker identified only as Lillian allegedly forced a male client out of a house naked after a dispute. Residents gathered as other sex workers demanded that the man pay for services. Witnesses said the crowd dispersed after Lillian was called inside for discussions and later returned to the house where the women were staying.
Ndlovu’s conviction has placed the focus on a single sachet of mbanje, but the evidence presented in court has also exposed the pressures surrounding the drug trade. Police are pursuing dealers, users and illegal suppliers, while courts are imposing fines and prison terms. For young people living on the margins, the promise of increased earnings, stronger sexual performance or a quick return may carry a heavy price when the drug is found in their hands.