Bhang
An 18-year old man was on Tuesday fined Sh. 1 million or serve one-year imprisonment after he admitted charges of peddling bhang. Joseph Mwangi who appeared before Chief Magistrate Peter Ndwiga was charged that on June 10, at Kahatia Village of Kahuro Sub County, he was found with 18 rolls of bhang.
According to the prosecutionās report, Mwangi was arrested by the area Assistant Chief who was accompanied by local police officers after locals made a report that the young man was selling bhang to school going children.
Upon inspection at his house, Sh1,500, a lighter and the bhang were recovered with Mwangi pleading guilty to the charges. In his mitigation, he pleaded for leniency saying he started peddling bhang when he was at a tender age so as to raise school fees.
He said he was ready to abandon the business and invest in dairy farming pleading for forgiveness. The Prosecutor Steve Waweru said that Mwangi has acknowledged committing a severe crime in the society for a long period, which demands for a harsh sentence in light of his revelations.
āThe accused has himself admitted that he has been selling bhang for a long time. This is a serious offence which calls for a serious penalty,ā Waweru told the court.
While delivering the verdict, the Chief Magistrate stated that even though the accused only turned 18 recently and has no means of paying the fine, he has to impose it or alternatively he serves one-year sentence as a deterrence and a lesson to others who were selling bhang especially to school going children.
