The Magistrates Court in Mwense district has sentenced a 57-year-old man of Kapala village in Chief Lukwesa’s area to six months imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking in marijuana.
Principle Resident Magistrate Yvonne Nalomba sitting at Mwense subordinate courts sentenced Ngosa Kanyembo who was found with 8.4 grammes of marijuana without lawful authority.
The court heard that Ngosa Kanyembo was found in possession of the herbal product of cannabis on April 25, 2015.
ZANIS reports that the court also heard that the offence was contrary to Section Six of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act Chapter 96 of the Laws of Zambia.And in mitigation, Kanyembo pleaded for lenience as he was a first offender and that he had a wife and children to take care of.
Principle Resident Magistrate Nalomba however sentenced Kanyembo to six months imprisonment with hard labour effective the date of arrest in order to deter others from committing a similar offence.
Meanwhile Chief Lubunda of the Chishinga people in Mwense district has appealed to peasant farmers in the area to embrace modern farming techniques in order to increase productivity.
Chief Lubunda was speaking during the Mwense district agriculture and commercial show at the weekend whose theme was ‘innovations beyond golden jubilee’.
He said modern agriculture innovations can help peasant farmers expand their farming and graduate to commercial levels. And the traditional leader expressed disappointment when he noted that most government departments and other farmers shunned attending the district agriculture and commercial show.
He said the show was an avenue at which farmers could exchange knowledge and various methods used in the agriculture sector but wondered why they instead shunned the occasion.
And speaking at the same occasion, Acting Mwense District Commissioner Bestone Chibesa in a speech read for him by Acting Administrative Officer James Chanda said farmers should adapt to the changing and growing economy by being innovative and embrace new farming technologies.
Mr. Chibesa also said government will continue supporting farmers with the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in order to reduce on the high cost of production and also attain meaningful development in rural areas.
Blacks, awe sure! Whites all over the world are now considering legalising chamber for medicinal purpose mean while us here are busy destroying poor peoples lives by sending them to prisons for being in possession of small quantities of this God given wonder herb.
This is a God give herbal product, why sentencing People for using?
As in most laws Zambia will lag behind and continue being barbaric well beyond scientific proof to the contrary. Just look at my favorite subject of reflectors; ALL vehicles now have reflectors (even switched off headlamps are reflective) but the pre-independence law is still in vogue! It is very embarrassing to answer some questions about our country’s practices. Parliament is supposed to reconvene to begin to deliberate on levels that can be considered trafficked now. Disgusting!
We are busy sending people who are striving to have food on their tables to their early deaths in prison and meanwhile your president is busy pardoning his criminal friends who have committed very serious crimes! Something is seriously wrong with this country! We deserve what we get as citizens because of our docility! When it is time for elections we will again vote for PF and continue complaining about economic hardships! Ati ifintu ni Lungu! Mwanya, akuchuleni!
6 months for only 9 Grammes!!!??? The prisons are overcrowded with the wrong type of criminals
Turn the herbsman loose,and jail the bandits and looters instead.