Rastafarians arrested for misconduct

14 Rastafarians have been arrested for misconduct and retaliation against police actions in Mchinji district.

According to public relations officer for Mchinji police Kaitano Lubrino acting on a tip-off, police officers from a month old established police unit at Guillime arrested two members of the Rastafarian family for cultivating Indian hemp in their respective gardens.

Their arrest did not go well with the Rastafarian folks as such next morning on February 1, a group of over 20 Rastas ganged-up to the Police Unit to rescue their members.

“Uncontrollably a commotion started and the grouping removed the police flag and instead they fluttered their Rastafarian flag up at the Police Unit,” said Lubrino

He said this prompted the police from the parent station to beef up manpower to the Unit and in the process twelve irate Rastas were arrested for the offence of misconduct at a police station.

Their leader Ras Meshach Banda argued with Mchinji Police Station that marijuana is their key for exaltations and sacrifice for Jehovah.

In Malawi it is an offence to cultivate or possess Cannabis Sativa without license and the maximum penalty is K5 000 000.00 fine or 14 years imprisonment with hard labor if found guilty.