A convict identified as Christopher Kalombo defended himself in court saying he cultivate Marijuana to keep witches out of him as he was being held on an offense of being found growing the prohibited plant.

The 45 year old man was heard  asking  the court to give him a fine saying he planted the illegal plant as African medicine against acts of witchcraft at his compound not for any other purpose.

He also told the court that he is a breadwinner and the father of five children two of whom go to school.

Reacting on his plead, sub inspector Ishmile  Abubast seemed not to be convinced with what the suspect said because the quality of the cannabis was fit for custodial sentence since it weighed 9 Kg`s.

However, the prosecutor asked the court to hand him a stiff punishment to act as a warning to others from doing the same.

However, the court ordered the convict to pay a fine of K80,000 for the offence of cultivating of cannabis sativa locally known as Chamba.

When passing his sentence, Neno second grade magistrate Danuel Dzowera told the court that since the suspect was using the illegal plant for herbal use and that he has a huge responsibility at home, a sentence of K80, 000 was ideal for him.