A 49 year old Peasant farmer has narrated in the Choma Magistrate Court before Magistrate Mupemo Phiri on how Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers dragged him from his house in handcuffs to his maize field and planted Marijuana shrubs in his upper shirt pockets and photographed him so that it looks like he cultivates drug unlawfully.
Byta FM’s Court beat specialist reports that it is alleged that Edson Chidilima (49) of Mapanza in Chief Mapanza’s Chiefdom of Choma district is accused of unlawful cultivation of psychotropic substances contrary to section 9 Chapter 96 of the Laws of Zambia.
According to his narration in defense, Chidilima stated that on 12th February, 2017, DEC officers went to his house demanding to have an audience with his son, Fair.
When he told them that he had no knowledge of his son’s whereabouts, the officers handcuffed and took him into the bush where they forced him to pick up a marijuana shrub.
The officers allegedly beat Chidilima as they forced him to pick the shrub.
He further narrated that when the DEC officers noticed that he was not cooperating, they planted the marijuana in his shirt pockets and asked him to pose for a photo which they took.
He also claimed that nothing was explained to him on the purpose of their visit.
When cross examined by the State Prosecutor, Dexter Kwalela, the accused denied all the allegations levelled against him by the state witnesses whom he said he had land wrangles with.
He also refused to seeing the photographs of himself in the Maize field that were presented to him but later changed his statement that he never just saw them at close range.
Magistrate Mupemo Phiri has set 27th December, 2017 for judgement.
Farmer Accuses DEC of Planting Weed In His Pocket added by Editor01 on
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