Man in court for smoking bhang during public baraza

By John Majau

A man who smoked bhang during a public baraza in Kangeta, Igembe South District, was arraigned before a Maua court.

Prosecutor?Gideon Muriuki said the accused,?David Kimathi, committed the offence on April 13, when the DC David Kipkemei was addressing a baraza.

The prosecutor said while the meeting was in progress, Kimathi stood up and put his hand into his pocket and drew a roll of bhang, lit it and started smoking.

The DC ordered?the man be arrested and charged with the offence.

However, Kimathi was not arrested until two weeks later when he caused a commotion at his brother’s house.

After searching his house, the area chief found five rolls of bhang under his mattress.

The accused denied being found with bhang, saying the chief had planted the weed on him.

He was released on Sh50,000 bond with a surety in the same amount or cash bail of Sh20,000. His case will be heard on October 10.

In the same court, two men were jailed for one year without the option of a fine each after they pleaded guilty to the charge of possessing rolls of bhang with an intention of selling it to the public.

Moses Nyongesa was arrested on the outskirts of Maua town and when searched he was found with 33 rolls of bhang, whereas Fredrick Mutwiri was arrested in Athiru Gaiti in Igembe South with seven rolls of bhang in his house.

The two pleaded guilty after spending two months in remand and were handed that sentence.

Chief Magistrate John Kingo’ri told them the court treated them as first offenders and noted that they were very young and handed them a relatively light sentence of one year.