Police are keeping in custody a 28 year-old man for cultivating Indian hemp popularly known as chamba at Chitipi location in Lilongwe.

Lilongwe Police Station Assistant Public Relations Officer Constable Margret Selemani said the Police were acting on a tip from members of the general public that the suspect was cultivating chamba in his house’s backyard.

“Police went and checked the suspect’s house garden and found 26 plants of the illegal plants and pulled all of them out from the garden,” said Selemani and disclosed that the suspect confessed that the plants were indeed planted by him.

Police have identified the suspect as Affet Simoya from Mkhwambala village in the area of Traditional Authority Kalolo in Lilongwe.

Meanwhile, the plants have been sent to Chitedze Research Station for examination and if the plants are confirmed to be chamba, Simoya will answer charges of cultivating Indian hemp contrary to Dangerous Drugs Act-mana