A former union official in Switzerland has been sentenced to prison for detaining a gardener in a CBD hemp facility. The incident stemmed from a disagreement over the sale price of the company, which the official had founded during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The defendant, who had initially partnered with the gardener to run the facility, was unable to sell any of the CBD hemp and decided to sell the company. The gardener, passionate about the plant, expressed interest in purchasing it but negotiations over the price stalled.
When the parties couldn’t reach an agreement, the official took drastic measures. He locked the gardener in the facility, holding him captive with the help of up to five other men acting as guards. The situation escalated further when the official threatened the gardener with garden shears, demanding an additional 85,000 Swiss francs (approximately $100,793) on top of the 65,000 francs already paid.
After being held captive for an evening, the gardener was released, but his ordeal was far from over. Fearing retaliation, he hesitated to report the incident to the police. However, after receiving another call from the former official, he transferred the demanded amount. When questioned by the judge, the gardener explained his fear, stating, “If I report the wrong people, and they are organized—then good night.”
The court found the defendant guilty of deprivation of liberty and coercion, sentencing him to a 13-month suspended prison sentence with a four-year probation period. The incident highlights the dangers of resolving disputes through violence and intimidation, underscoring the importance of legal and peaceful conflict resolution.
