Alfred Phiri, 24, of Kabanana Compound in Chisamba district pleaded guilty at Chisamba Magistrate's Court to one count of trafficking in 17.1 grams of cannabis, according to the Lusaka Times. A Drug Enforcement Commission patrol acting on a tip about marijuana dealing recovered eight sachets totalling 17.1 g.
The report says a lab test found THC at 0.79 percent, above the 0.3 percent limit the article cites. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment with hard labour, effective from his formal arrest on 22 September 2026. The cannabis was forfeited to the State and destroyed by burning.
Why it matters: The quantity is about 17 grams, roughly the weight of a few handfuls of dried leaf, and the sentence is a year and a half of hard labour. The charge is trafficking, not personal use.
Source: Lusaka Times, 2026-10-13. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting. An arrest or charge is not proof of guilt.