In August 1999, three nationals of the United States of America, Gary George Blanchard, Joseph Wendell Pettijohn, and John Lamonte Dixon, were jointly indicted with the commission of two offences:(i) The first was a contravention of section 7(1)(a) of the Aircraft (Offences) Act [Chapter 9:01], as read with section 360(1) ...
In August 1999, three nationals of the United States of America, Gary George Blanchard, Joseph Wendell Pettijohn, and John Lamonte Dixon, were jointly indicted with the commission of two offences:
(i) The first was a contravention of section 7(1)(a) of the Aircraft (Offences) Act [Chapter 9:01], as read with section 360(1) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9:07], in that on 7 March 1999 they had attempted to place aboard an aircraft dangerous goods, namely, various revolvers, pistols, rifles, knives, and ammunition.
(ii) The second was a contravention of section 37(2) of the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act [Chapter 11:07], in that on the same day they were in unlawful possession of arms of war and offensive materials, consisting of a variety of pistols, revolvers, rifles, firearms, ammunition, knives, teargas, and electric shock devices.
The trial, which was protracted, was presided over by ADAM J and assessors, in the High Court, at Harare. Judgment was delivered on 10 September 1999. The three accused were convicted on both Counts. On 13 September 1999, the learned judge sentenced them to six months' imprisonment with labour on the first Count; and, on the second, to twenty-one months' imprisonment with labour, of which period nine months were conditionally suspended for five years, and six months were to run concurrently with the sentence imposed on Count One.
The effective punishment of six months' imprisonment with labour was then back-dated to 7 March 1999, being the day when the incarceration of the accused as remand prisoners began.
The judgment, on both conviction and sentence, is now reported, sub. nom. S v Blanchard & Ors, in 1999 (2) ZLR 168 (H).
