Police Re-Arrest Suspected Supplier Of Drugs To Gangs

By Paul Shalala

Bright KAFULA a.k.a. Kamasu

A suspected drug baron who authorities believe is the main supplier of marijuana to most criminal gangs in Kitwe has been re-arrested by Police.

28 year old Bright Kafula, who is popularly known as Kamasu, was on Wednesday re-arrested after being given a suspended sentence for trafficking in psychotropic substances by the Kitwe Magistrates' Court.

Kafula was arrested a week ago with 6 kilograms of marijuana but when the case went to court, he was charged for trafficking in 6 grams.

Initially, he accepted having been found with the marijuana in his house and pleaded guilty.

On Tuesday, Kitwe Magistrate Dominic Lesa sentenced Kafula to two months imprisonment with hard labour but he suspended the sentence for 24 months.

Magistrate Lesa convicted him after he pleaded guilty to trafficking in psychotropic substances contrary to Section six of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act Chapter 96 of the Laws of Zambia.

In Mitigation,  Kafula pleaded with the court for leniency saying he was a married man and had children who would suffer if he is jailed.

"I will not repeat the act again," said Kafula who spoke in Bemba.

However,  Magistrate Lesa noted that the accused was a first offender and gave him a suspended sentence of 24 months.

Facts before the court are that Police officers found the accused with 51 rolls of marijuana at the time of  his arrest.

The suspended sentence means that he will serve the sentence at home and he should not commit any crime in the coming 24 months.

But Police officers on Wednesday arrested Kafula with the hope of taking him back to court to face the law again.

Police are arguing that the suspect must answer for the 6 kilograms he was found with, not the 6 grams he faced in court.

The marijuana which was found in
Kafula's house

"How was he tried in court for 6 grams of marijuana when the officers found him with 6 kilograms? What happened to the evidence the Police took to court?" said Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga in a telephone interview.

She argues that the case which was sent to the Police did not portray the actual facts the Police found in Kafula's house.

"Police weighed those drugs and it was 6 KGs, not the 6 grams which he was facing in court. So we have apprehended him and he will appear in the High Court tomorrow so that the case can be reviewed," said Mrs Katanga.

On 22 May, Police officers were tipped that Kafula was hiding Mwamba Siame also known as Mayweather, a top commander of the Tokota Boys gang who has been on the Police’s Most Wanted List for over a month.

However, Police officers did not find Mayweather, they ended up finding drugs and arresting Kafula.