Church-going Sheffield academic with Master’s degree found with crack cocaine and heroin

Theophilas Mkuhlani, aged 31, of Dagnam Road, near Woodthorpe, Sheffield, was approached by police after they had been following his BMW car on Sheffield Road, Barnsley, and had seen his vehicle accelerate and make a dramatic righthand turn before stopping, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Anthony Moore, prosecuting, told the hearing on March 8 Mkuhlani was searched by police at Barnsley custody suite and they recovered crack-cocaine and heroin with an estimated street value of up to £530 as well as £460 of cash and two phones.

Judge David Dixon told Mkuhlani: “It pains me to see a man with a first class degree in engineering and a Master’s as well – a man who is clearly intelligent and articulate because you must have been to get those qualifications – standing before me for these sorts of offences.”

Mkuhlani pleaded guilty to two matters of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply and to possessing criminal property in the form of £460 in cash after the incident on September 9. 2019.

Mr Moore added Mkuhlani has not been convicted of any offences of this nature before and the defendant said he had been acting on behalf of someone else.

Joy Merriam, defending, said: “It’s clear this a terrible fall from grace by a young man who is extremely talented.”

She added church-going, father-of-one Mkuhlani had returned from university and was approached by acquaintances and had felt pressured before he embarked upon the offending.

Judge Dixon told Mkuhlani: “As an intelligent man, you will know full well the untold misery that class A drugs cause. They fuel crime, they fuel the problem in most cities and Sheffield is no different in that regard.”

He sentenced Mkuhlani to three years of custody and ordered the forfeited £460 of cash to be used in the fight against drugs.

Judge Dixon added: “The reality is a message must go out. If you sell class A drugs you go to jail.”

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