CHOMBA MUSIKA
Lusaka
A TANZANIAN teacher has been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking in over 80 kilogrammes of marijuana, which was found in his house.
Lusaka magistrate Peter Mungala said he needed to impose a stiff punishment on Ally Eliasa Ally, 26, because of the huge quantity of the drugs found in his house.
“I have considered the quantity of the cannabis, which is huge, and the offence was committed for commercial gain,” the magistrate said.
He said there was need to impose a punishment which was commensurate with the quantity of the narcotic drugs found in Ally’s house.
Ally had pleaded not guilty to trafficking in 81kg of marijuana.
The prosecution called three witnesses, among them the accused’s landlord, James Phiri, of Kamwala South.
Evidence before court is that on July 30, 2025, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) was tipped that a person in Kamwala South was dealing in suspected narcotic drugs.
A team of officers later went to Ally’s house to search the premises and on arrival, they knocked on the door of his rented home in the presence of Mr Phiri.
Ally did not respond to the knock, prompting the officers to force the door open and fished him out from the bedroom, where he had hidden.
The DEC officers found two bundles of marijuana, which were seized.
After being found with a case to answer, Ally, in his defence, denied the allegations but said the marijuana belonged to his brother and that he was merely a caretaker.
Through his lawyer, James Nyasulu, Ally contended that the prosecution failed to prove the case against him beyond reasonable doubt.
But in delivering judgment, magistrate Mungala dismissed Ally’s defence as an afterthought.
“The accused was found with two bundles of suspected marijuana and he was a lone occupant [of the house], and when asked what was contained in the two bundles, he said the marijuana belonged to his brother.
“The accused failed to provide contact information for his brother, whom he claimed was the owner of the cannabis, but instead called his wife.
“He failed to give the phone number of his brother to DEC officers,” magistrate Mungala said before convicting Ally, who was clad in a white thobe and holding a small Bible in one hand.
Earlier, Mr Nyasulu pleaded for leniency because his client is youthful and remorseful.
“There is room for change and he might be a useful citizen, and can be productive to both his country and our country,” Mr Nyasulu said.
