The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested a 101 year old peasant farmer of Mazabuka for unlawful cultivation of cannabis.
Timothy Chilekwa of Namembo village in Mazabuka was arrested for unlawful cultivation of cannabis weighing 1.2 tonnes and two sacks weighing 6.95kg
In a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today , DEC public relations and press liaison officer Rosten Chulu disclosed that the Commission in Western province has also arrested three peasant farmers for unlawful cultivation of cannabis.
These were Paul Lubwala, 32 of Lungano village in Katandano area for cultivating cannabis weighing 78kg, Kelvin Chinyama, 32 of Mushona area for trafficking in compressed cannabis weighing 41kg.
And in Luapula John Chansa was arrested for trafficking in 250g of cannabis and John
Chishimba, 53 of Kamwanja village for trafficking in 0.5g of cannabis, Peter Kapasa,`37 of Mululu village for trafficking in 57 balls of cannabis and a house wife Eliya Mulenga of the same village for trafficking in 50g of cannabis.
Meanwhile, the DEC in Chipata has arrested a peasant farmer Sophie Banda, 52 of
Kamwala coumpound in Chadiza district for trafficking in cannabis weighing 12.614kg.
The Commission has also arrested Frederick Nyambe of Northmead in Lusaka for trafficking in two sachets of crack cocaine.
Ms Chulu said all the suspects will appear in court soon.
And Mr Chulu disclosed that a Mr Jonathan Tembo of Matero in Lusaka was imprisoned
to four years imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking in 75.2kg of cannabis.
The sentenced was meted out by the magistrate court in Kapiri Mposhi.
And in Mumbwa, Simon Nkhuwa has been sentenced to Six months imprisonment with
hard labour by magistrate Walusika for tafficking in 10.4kg of cannabis.
And on another count, the accused has been fined K200,000 or in default two months
imprisonment for unlawful cultivation of 1.2 tonnes of cannabis.
Mr Chulu has since warned peasant farmers to desist from engaging in unlawful cultivation and trafficking in psychotropic substances.
ZANIS
Please have mercy.The old man will die in prison.THE PRISON CONDITION ARE NOT GOOD FOR HIS AGE.
Put him under house arrest, the man is almost at the door steps of God,just ask him to start an NGO that will talk about evils of cannabis. His death in prison shall remain your guilty.
Why arrest such an old man and send him to prison? He only needs to be talked to and advised not to crow cannabis. Our Government has got no policy what soever to help such a poor old man like him to keep going instead he resulted into cannabis growing so that he may find something to eat.
Our President ba Levy, should try and come up with a policy of financially supporting our seniors in Zambia, instead of him leaving his minister stealing all that money and put them in there pockets.
Did the man know what offence he was committing ? If he didn’t due to old age,then something is wrong somewhere.
Brilliant suggestion Kuku, though giving him an oppotunity to start an NGO will ,instead , allow him start advocating for legalizing canabis because at his age he knows that soon he will be lined up for judgement before God and so he would like to have some followers along with him. However, on a serious note, the state should be lenient on this poor old JAH MAN.
Kyata, if the man was 9 years we would assume that maybe he was ignorant of the Law but at 101 years ignorance will be no be defence. A field with canabis weighing 1.2 tonnes is quiet a large portion so he could have as well expended this energy to grow some cassava or maize.What do you think McCharles? Anyhow like Kuku I suggest the man should Just be under house arrest.
Let the old man enjoy life b4 he dies.No need for house arrest.That will just kill him.B4 a person dies,he wants to eat his favorite dish,or do wat he likes doing best.So just let the man be.If he smokes,let him smoke.Guys,he is very old…..
Let him be..It is widely known that cannabis can be beneficial to older people!!!…Why dont the DEC do more raids on popular nightclubs in towns to see how much “powders and pills” are being taken by our younger generation??..
oh what a shame surely he could be pardoned,i doubt if he even knew its a crime because cannabis is used for alot of traditional medicinal concoctions and am sure they have some effect.
please Zambians lets forgive the buya!
Let him go and spend his last days in hell (prison) because the old man has contributed to what the country is now (drug infected). He is no different from self confessed drug dealers of this world. The younger generation looked to such people and copy what they see. DEC move quick and lock him up.
Leave the old man alone, he hasn’t stolen anything, then why tossing him like ping pong and if anything it’s the govt to blame for not giving old people annuity. Give the old man love and set him free.
Crime is Crime regardless of who commits it.Unfortunately our society is one where the law bites more on the poor while its tooth are blunt on the rich.A house arrest would be ideal for the old man in order to deter would-be offenders.
Alot needs to be looked at, how often has this man been in his business? What does he do with the product? 1.2tonnes its quite a figure and what is the culture like in this area?To me this could be a serious family or village business and not for home consumption.Being old this man am sure will devuldge alot of information about who else is doing it and for what purpose and then DEC will have a field day to bring culprits to book.Some of this dagga finds itself on the streets of cairo road contributing to worsening character of innocent children.crime is crime regardless of who commits it but to evey law there must be an exception.Even laws must be humane, but as Chirwa says its so hard on the poor and soft on the rich-Chileshe of ZEGA who even had a factory, that man should not have allowed to see the outside of the prison, cos he is worse than Timothy
Sam K, are u one of his many clients. Drug dealing is worst than stealing, because it diminish the people’s mind, more especial the younger ones who I am sure are his target and who copy anything old people like our kuku 101 does. Once again I urge DEC to chain this kuku 101, he is dangerous to the nation. Remember crime does pay even at 101.
It is a pity that the government of law does not spare the aged, grand papas. However, at the age of 101 he must be finished and putting him in cells/prison means accelarating his death. I mean, this man, every day he is drawing closer to the grave, please i suggest house rest is ideal for such very aged grand papas’. Becuase at this age to me he is as good as a patient, who really and very much rely on others.
It is a pity that the government of law does not spare the aged, grand papas. However, at the age of 101 he must be finished and putting him in cells/prison means accelarating his death. I mean, this man, every day he is drawing closer to the grave, please i suggest house rest of any sort can be ideal for such very aged grand papas’. Becuase at this age to me he is as good as a patient, who really and very much rely on others.
The quality of mercy is not strained ,and all that.Please let ba mudala go.
It strikes my mind how an old man at the age of 101 can manage to plough such big field which is able to hold 1.2tonnes of canabis. How does he do do it though?.For how long has he been cultivating the herb? Has he got some employees or he is all by himself. If you translate 1.2t of canabis into $ we are talking about thousands of dollars. Are there some big fishes using the poor old man out there? A thorough investigation should be done in this case. I believe somebody could have been funding this dirty project. If not then the man should be recorded in the guinea book of the world for cultivating such a massive piece of land single handedly at 101.
The old man is innocent until he is proved guilty by the court of law.He has only been arrested.Of course there is no bail for the offence he is alleged to have comitted. This notwithstanding let the law follow its course.No one is above the law.If he is found not guilty, well and good. If is he innocent he will have to be given the sentence prescribed by the law and being accorded an opportunity to mitigate.All in all age should not be an excuse to commit a crime. neither is ignorance. By the way ‘forgiving’ him will just encourage other old people to stand cultivating cannabis.Who knows young people will also be encourage to use their grandfathers or great grandfathers to to grow cannabis.
Mwinepabo, the old man deserves to be in jail. This world has no place for people who contribute to destroying other people’s live’s. Cannabis is a very destructive substance. Lock him in jail. That is were he belongs. Old age should not be an excuse. An old woman of 88 yrs in one country has been sent to prison for threatening and disturbing her neighbour’s. Why should the old man go to prison for destroying people’s live’s.If he doesn’t go to jail,No worries,he is still going to hell.
I doubt the old man even knows where he is let alone, does he care? 101 years? How do you know about that? Im sure he is having a thrill in jail.
DEC nabs two Albidon Mine workers
By CHRISTINE CHISHA
Two Abidon Mine Capitol Drilling expatriate employees in Mazabuka have been arrested for alleged illicit drug trafficking.
And Timothy
And Timothy Chilekwa, the 101-year-old man who was recently arrested for unlawful cultivation of cannabis has been fined K50,000 and given a one year conditional discharge.
Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Public Relations and Press Liaison Officer, Rosten Chulu said in a statement yesterday that Jeff Macdonald, 45, and Bevan Thomson, 24, both New Zealand nationals working for Abidon Capitol Drilling were allegedly found with eight balls of cannabis weighing seven grammes.
Mr Chulu said later they found one ball of cannabis and loose cannabis concealed in a tobacco metal container weighing eight grammes.
He said the psychotropic substance was allegedly found in their rooms separately.
The two Kiwis are detained in Lusaka and will appear in court soon.
And Mr Chulu said Mr Chilekwa, the elderly peasant farmer of Namembo Village in Mazabuka, was fined K50,000 for being found with two sacks of cannabis weighing 6.950 kg.
The Mazabuka magistrate court slapped Mr Chilekwa with a one-year conditional discharge for trafficking.
I guess it shows that to every law there is an exception.Laws must be humane , this old Chilekwa is busy drinking gankata.But stop cultivating the cannabis chap.
He is and old man.let him pardoned
Dennis
Johannesburg