Pubdate: Wed, 24 Dec 2014
Source: Post, The (Zambia)
Copyright: Post Newspapers 2014
Contact:  http://www.postzambia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3160
Authors: Agness Katongo and Mukosha Funga

COURT STRIKES OUT GREEN PARTY'S MARIJUANA CASE

THE Lusaka High Court has struck out a matter in which Green Party 
president Peter Sinkamba was sued by a non-governmental organisation 
for advocating the legalisation of marijuana in Zambia on the basis 
that it was illegal and criminal.

And the case in which Road Transport and Safety Agency chief 
executive officer, Zindaba Soko and his brother Samuel are jointly 
charged with assault yesterday failed to take-off because the former 
did not show up.

Lusaka High Court judge, Chalwe Mchenga, struck out the matter due to 
non- appearance of parties involved when it came up for hearing.

Sinkamba, in his campaign messages ahead of the January 20 
presidential elections, has promised voters that he will cut the 
country's dependency on mining by growing and exporting marijuana.

In this matter, International Institute of Democracy and Conflict 
Resolutions Limited and its president, Tresford Chomba, sued Sinkamba 
and his party, the Drug Enforcement Commission ( DEC) and the 
Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ).

Chomba feared that in an event that Sinkamba and his party were 
allowed to promote their agenda, anarchy might prevail in the country.

He submitted that DEC had ignored the impunity and lawlessness of 
Sinkamba and his party despite being the arm of the law 
constitutionally tasked to look into narcotics and psychotropic substances.

And the allegations against Soko are that he together with Samuel, on 
December 13 assaulted Petrol Phiri, an employee of a named funeral 
parlour after he stopped them from taking pictures of their deceased mother.

When the matter came up for plea before Lusaka chief resident 
magistrate, Joshua Banda, the case could not take off because only 
Samuel, who informed the court that his brother was currently out of 
town, was present.

Magistrate Banda therefore adjourned the matter to January 9 for plea.
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