Police in Mchinji are looking for a 27-year-old man identified as Muhammad Banda, who is suspected to have been cultivating Indian hemp (Chamba) at his house’s backyard garden.
According to Mchinji Police Public Relations Officer, Limbani Mpinganjira, the man-hunt follows a tip-off from well-wishers that the man had cultivated about half an acre of cannabis in his garden.
“After realising that police had raided his cannabis field, the suspect bolted to the Zambian side. In his garden, the police managed to uproot about 200 plants of cannabis,” said Mpinganjira.
Mpinganjira added that police have now intensified efforts to trace the whereabouts of the suspect with support from their Zambian counterparts.
The Cannabis sativa plants, locally known as chamba, have been seized pending to be ferried to Chitedze Research Station for examination and analysis.
The suspect hails from Tikoliwe Village which is along the Zambia-Malawi boundary in Traditional Authority Mlonyeni in the district.
Meanwhile, the police have said they cherish the relationship which exists with citizens who share vital information in the fight against crime.
Reported by Vincent Khonje
