A 44 year old Chinese national has been fined K2 000 by the Chipata Magistrate Court for cultivating in psychotropic substances.
Appearing before Magistrate Mercy Chabu was QI Jianlong a surveyor who stood charged with one count of unlawful cultivation of psychotropic substances contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Facts of the matter are that Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers on January, 07, 2019 received information that there was a person who was dealing in psychotropic substances in Msekera area.
DEC officers went to Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) studios construction site and found Jianlong.
After inspection, some marijuana plants were found and uprooted while the accused was taken to DEC offices for further investigations.
Jianlong pleaded guilty to the subject offence and was convicted accordingly.
In mitigation, Jianlong through his lawyer Alex Musanya of Zambezi Chambers said he was a first offender and married with three children who also readily pleaded guilty without wasting the court’s time.
Jianlong said he regrets having committed the offence and asked for lenience from the court when passing sentence.
And in passing sentence, magistrate Chabu said she had taken into consideration what the convict said in mitigation but said the offence committed was a felony.
She then fined Jianlong K2000 to be paid by tomorrow January, 11 before 17hrs or in default serve three months imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Chabu granted bail to 11 Chinese nationals who are charged with one count of unlawful cultivation of psychotropic substances contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the matter are that Yu Riping and 10 others jointly whilst acting together did unlawfully cultivated psychotropic substances.
Magistrate Chabu said each accused person should pay K5000 cash, one working surety liable to K10 000 each and surrender all the passports to the court.
She has since set January, 24 for mention and January, 30 for commencement of trial.
What?!
Sydney Chileshe went in for this!
Those poor villagers go in.
What a country
What a people!
DEC must appeal lets see!
Indeed if a zambian was caught committing tgis offence he would face a far steeper punishment.
Zambia is a country that favours foreigners over its own citizen. I feel ashamed. In other countries you are treated badly just for being a foreigner. In zambia you are treated badly just for being a zambian.
If a Zambian is found with 1gram or more of marijuana in China, he goes to jail for 12 to 15 years and after serving the sentence is deported back to Zambia. Why do our judges let the Chinese offenders free? WTF is K2000?
This guy must have been jailed for a minimum of 5 years. Zambians go to jail for more than 5 years for similar offences.
It makes perfect sense now. And it saddens me to come to this inference. Stay with me folks, let me explain.
The PF have reached a new low. It appears some corrupt elements in PF are working with these Chinese to cultivate AND export cannabis.
This is a much profitable venture, given that the Chinese can get stuff out of the country easily.
We have seen this happen with mukula trees, we have seen it happen with rhino horns and elephant tusks.
Instead of legalising trade in mukala trees or Cannabis, this PF government wants total control so they can reap the profits alone.
Part evidence for this is the growing number of Chinese nationals daring to cultivate cannabis, and the extra lenient sentence handed out to them. When Zambians are caught, they get jailed for years, even…
This is the most stup!!!d judgement I have even heard, zambians are jailed with no bail,, why is a Chinese spared??
Chinese bring Investments and are NOT blacks
You cant jail them and pretend Chinese life is not better than a black life, well IT IS
Good decision
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Me i am asking a question. Is it that these zambians who are jailed for years have been given option to pay zmw 2000 and they fail? Or is it that foreigners are given options? Do judges use different constitution? people need to understand these simple rules, every one need to know the consequence of any action. Other wise all of us will be jailed for contempt of court PA Z PAYOFYA.
Wasted Lazy Lungu years!!
Rotten Zambian Judiciary is soft on tu ma Chinese. That’s why they think they are above the law.
If it were a Zambian villager, he would have given 2 years with hard labour.
@Mushota, your level of thinking is not befitting a PHD holder nor a Zambian. If I were to give you an opportunity to run my company in Zambia, I am sure Zambians would never get fare treatment from you due to your prejudice. Coming to think of it, my company would spend more time in court over your abuse of Zambians. As for my brand it would be a quick way down the drain.
By the way can you say that to anyone in Scotland?
That’s cheap, $200? Maybe he even made $200,000 already.
My cousin served 2 years for some plants at their fishing camp. Which was clear that they were smoking it, not selling.
Mediocrity has become a new normal in this government. A country were some ruling party members are not ashamed to discuss wooing political candidates of other parties on public media through bribes and the justice system is looking the other way, Chinese crimes are treated with Kid gloves and yet the books preach equality before the law. Talk of double standards.
Am curious, if a Zambian was caught in China cultivating cannabis, would they fine him $200? Africa let’s wake up please, we are people too… we deserve fair treatment. This is an insult to the Zambian people. Shame.
Yaba! All the way from China just to come and grow mbanje here? The cockroach thinks we don’t know how to do it?
Shameful verdict….what is happening to this country sure? Zambians go in for a likkle herb for years fi a likkle spliff, mi ah I tell you!
After paying the fine Ministry of Home Affairs (Immigration) must move in and serve the deportations order.
Those are the requirements of the law.
Keep dreaming.
These Chinese will just be allocated another 100 hectares in a different part of the country to continue cultivation and export.
PF have reached a new low.
Leave the poor Chinrse alone . This is just tobacco.
The make it legal so all citizens can trade in it and export it, not just the PF thieves.
Kanshi that is how cheap it is, to get away with DOBO farming, awe twala byala pantu amataba taya kwata Profit.
Are you Chinese ?
Just stay in your lane Sir, otherwise you will serve 10 years with hard labour.
The PF does not like competition.
ZEGA chief was snetenced to five years with hard labour for the same crime.Iwe magistrate what did the chinese do to you? Knowing china man kanabosha kuipa!
STYUPID Indeed, we all know that being in possession of this substance is FACING JAIL TIME!! How do you just fine??
The chinese are our mbuya’s just like Bemba’s (us from Chipata) , that’s why we can call them cockroaches and thieves respectively in one sentence at a meeting.
PF government has brought in investors of many types of skills, profession, form and habits.
This is a mockery of justice. Zambian nationals have been jailed for longer periods if found even with 7 milligrammes of cannabis. The Chinese in this case have a case of growing the stuff which when dried and weighed would amount to Kilogrammes….and the government is already indirectly asking the courts to free the Chinese because “they are involved in the construction of ZNBCstudios at Msekeraarea along Chipata – Msoro road”! (See page 2 of Times of Zambia of Friday January 11, 2019 where the defence counsel read in court a letter from ministry of Infrastructure and Housing in mitigation leading to the fining of one of the Chinese only K2000!)
I shudder to think the fate of a Zambian if he were caught cultivating Mbanje in China!! This country’s legal and political system is such a big joke! Its a reflection of the leadership.
Absolute stupidity from the judge.
They harshly punish our own people but in passing judgement on a foreigner the judge looks at the accused skin and fines 2pin kwachas.
Looks like PF is letting the selling if chamba bussiness to the Chinese to monopolize …….
Dununa Reverse judgment, foreigners have more rights tan Zambian`s ati Investors, growing weed, probably selling utu ma ball as well, ubupuba wachilamo under this chipante pante govt of dander heads
Cannabis investors all the way from China.Can you please monitor the activities of your investors.
Inequality before the Law. Foreigners are given options, Zambians not.
My 70plus uncle went in for 3years. Lost his teeth in Kasama prison for cultivating it. Now this is 44 chocho just pays 2pin!
Zambia for you!
Nothing lasts forever pf. One day the Zambian people will react , just one day bamambala imwe.
UUbomba mwibala, alya mwibala
Now if you comment on this judgement the supreme court will jail you for 6 years.
Yaba! All the way from China just to come and grow mbanje here? This cockroach thinks we don’t know how to do it?
Yaba! All the way from China just to come grow mbanje here? This cockroach thinks we don’t know how to do it?
Does this set precedent?
This is supposed to fall under non-bailable offences, yet 11 granted bail and one fined only $167 or 3 months prison.
the bribe alone is usually 60 times that amount (… or so I’ve heard from a gent who had the dec set upon him)
Does cannabis affect JUDGEMENT?
The magistrate must have been high on the same.
DEC appeal, investigate and arrest situation NOW.
Slow legalization, just DECLARE that it is NOW Legal and free all Cannabis prisoners!!!
THIS IS EMBARRASSING