Cannabis regulator Ras Chikomeni arrested with nearly 20kg of chamba in embarrassing twist
A board member of the Cannabis Regulatory Authority (CRA) has been arrested by police after allegedly being caught in possession of nearly 20 kilograms of suspected cannabis without a permit – in an embarrassing twist given his very own role regulating the substance.
David Chikomeni Chirwa, 49, a renowned Rastafarian, was arrested at Jenda in Mzimba alongside 45-year-old Storm Kandodo, of Mpulula Village under Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.
According to Jenda Police Station spokesperson Gladwell Simwaka, officers manning a roadblock at Jenda intercepted the pair as they travelled in a Toyota Sienta from Lilongwe towards Mzuzu.
A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered a staggering 19.2 kilograms of suspected Cannabis Sativa, commonly known locally as chamba, stashed inside.
The pair are expected to appear in court shortly to answer charges of being found in possession of Cannabis Sativa without a permit, with police confirming they have since seized the suspected drugs.
The arrest is likely to raise eyebrows given Chirwa’s position on the board of the very authority tasked with regulating cannabis cultivation, possession and permits in Malawi – a body established to oversee the legal, licensed side of an industry the country has sought to develop commercially in recent years.
