Ras Pompy Jailed For Drug Dealing Following High Speed Chase With CID Detectives

Popular Zimdancehall artist Nyasha Reginald Mano, known to his fans as Ras Pompy, has been sentenced to six months behind bars. The conviction comes after a dramatic high-speed car chase with detectives and the discovery of a significant quantity of cough syrup in his vehicle.

The Harare magistrate, Mr Gamuchirai Gore, found the musician guilty of contravening the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act on 22 September 2025. The conviction followed a full trial where the court heard detailed evidence of the events that led to his arrest.

Dramatic Chase Through Harare Suburbs

According to the prosecution led by Mrs Mandirasa Chigumira, the incident began on 16 July 2025 at around 11am. Detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics unit in Harare were on patrol when they spotted a black Honda Fit, registration number AGS 6699, stuck in a traffic jam on Kambuzuma Road. The vehicle was already on a police database of cars suspected of supplying illegal drugs in the city.

The court was told that the officers signalled for the driver, later identified as Ras Pompy, to pull over. Instead of complying, he allegedly sped away, initiating a pursuit that wound through the streets into the Rugare suburb. The chase ended abruptly when the singer’s car collided with a metal pole, allowing detectives to catch up and arrest him.

One Hundred Bottles of Cough Syrup Seized

A search of the Honda Fit was conducted following the arrest. Prosecutors stated that the search yielded a haul of 100 bottles of assorted cough syrups. The estimated street value of the seizure was put at US$396 (approx. ZAR 7,200).

The seized items were detailed in court as:

24 bottles of 100ml Broncleer cough syrup
20 bottles of 100ml Benylin cough syrup
55 bottles of 100ml Astra Pain cough syrup

The drugs and the Honda Fit were both seized as evidence. Ras Pompy was then escorted to the CID Drugs headquarters for processing. He was ultimately charged with contravening section 34(1) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.

Public Fury Over “Two-Tiered” Justice System

The six-month prison sentence has sparked a massive outcry on social media. The overwhelming focus of public anger is the stark contrast between this sentence and a recent case involving Chinese nationals found in possession of cocaine, who received a US$150 (approx. ZAR 2,730) fine. This has led to widespread accusations of a corrupt and biased judicial system.

One social media user, Tafadzwa Chenjerai, summed up the prevailing sentiment, writing:

“Cases like this also show why people feel the system is broken: it’s not just about the crime, it’s about who commits it. This one will stick in people’s minds for a long time.”

Another user, Nyasha Tagwirei, commented directly on the perceived injustice, stating:

“Zimbabwean Government doesn’t love its people, the Chinese guys get it away with only 150 yusa [US$150] and now the poor guy got 6 months haaaa that’s really unfair.”

“Which Is Worse: Cocaine Or Bronco?”

The debate intensified as users questioned the logic of sentencing based on the substance. Many argued that cocaine, a hard drug, should warrant a harsher punishment than cough syrup, making the fine for the Chinese nationals seem disproportionately light.

Simbarashe Machemedze Chawainetera directly asked:

“Which is worse cocaine or bronco? Cacaine its 150fine”

Manu Tanaka Sande Baker expanded on this, questioning the legal rationale:

“Cocaine vs mushonga wechikosoro (cough medicine), zviya senyika takazowirirana kuti Bronchial is a prohibited drug?… Its hardly 2 weeks the system set free Chinese found with constitutionally prohibited hard drugs..”

The sentiment that citizenship influenced the sentence was echoed by many. Reuben Chamunodah Nehumba wrote emotionally:

“Those pink Munk faced guys they were released Scot free but Mwana wamai vedu (our mother’s child) jailed in his own Country… #ZimbabwendeyeVeneVayo (Zimbabwe belongs to its owners)”

Patrick Kuhudzai offered a blunt summary of this view, simply stating: