Mzimba Court Fines Three Over Illegal Cultivation and Possession of Chamba
Published on June 18, 2026 at 5:01 PM by Edgar Naitha
The First Grade Magistrate’s Court in Mzimba has ordered three individuals to pay fines totaling over MK1 million for cultivating and possessing Cannabis sativa, locally known as chamba, without a permit.
The trio, Kennedy Mzembe, Emily Jere, and MacDonald Mzembe, were arrested earlier this month after they were found cultivating and possessing the illicit drug at Kankholikoli Village, Emfeni, in the area of Traditional Authority Mabilabo in Mzimba District.
According to Jenda Police Station Public Relations Officer Gladwell Simwaka, the three were convicted after pleading guilty to the charges. They were found with five bags of chamba, each weighing 50 kilograms, and about 195 cannabis plants that were uprooted from the gardens of Kennedy Mzembe and Emily Jere.
In delivering the sentence, First Grade Magistrate Ezekiel Kantikana ordered Kennedy Mzembe to pay a fine of MK600,000 for cultivation and possession, Emily Jere to pay MK250,000 for cultivation, and MacDonald Mzembe to pay MK200,000 for possession, or, in default, serve a nine-month prison sentence.
The three, who pleaded for leniency on the grounds of family responsibilities, had their plea considered by the court during sentencing. They have since paid their respective fines.
