The Dowa First Grade Magistrate’s Court has ordered a 25-year-old man to pay K80, 000 fine for cultivating Indian Hemp without a licence.
The court through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Ezara Bakili heard that the convict Fatsani Mbeya was arrested on February 24 2022 along Nanthomba River in Dowa District after he was found cultivating Indian Hemp without a licence contrary to Section 6 of Dangerous Drug Act.
State prosecutor Sub Inspector Ezara Bakili further told the court that on the same day at Chiguduli Village in Dowa District, the convict was also found in possession of Indian Hemp without a licence contrary to Section 6 of Dangerous Drug Act.
Appearing before court, the convict pleaded guilty to two charges of cultivating and being found in possession of Indian Hemp without a licence contrary to Section 6 of Dangerous Drug Act.
In his submission, state prosecutor Sub Inspector Ezara Bakili asked the court to mete out a stiff punishment to the offender as a deterrent to others with similar intentions.
Presiding over the case, First Grade Magistrate Amran Phiri concurred with the state’s submission hence ordered the convict to pay a fine of K30 000 or in default serve 9 months IHL for the first count of cultivating Indian Hemp without a licence while the second count of found in possession of Indian Hemp without a licence has earned him K50 000 fine.
The convict has since paid the fine.
The convict, Fatsani Mbeya, comes from Chiguduli Village in the area of Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa District.
In a related development, the same court has convicted and sentenced 30-year-old Yohane Hadson of Sikenda Village in Traditional Authority Sikenda in Lilongwe District, to pay a fine of K50 000.00 or in default serve 5-month imprisonment with hard labour for grevious harm.
The court through state prosecutor Sergeant Joseph Banda heard that the convict on January 14 2022 at Kakowa Village in Dowa District did grevious harm to Marko Kayuwe over land disputes.
