Man tells court he smokes marijuana to relieve 'stress'

A handcart puller arrested over possession of 37 rolls of bhang told an Eldoret court that he needs the drug to relieve "stress."

Victor Ndori, appeared before Principal Magistrate Nancy Barasa to answer the charge of possession of narcotics.

He pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled substance and selling it to students, an offence committed on October 2, 2025, in Uasin Gishu County.

The court heard that Ndori was arrested by police during a patrol and detained at the Eldoret Central Police Station.

"It's unfortunate, Your Honour, to find myself in this situation. To tell the truth, I use the drugs as a stress reliever; I don't use them to commit any wrong. Please be lenient with me, and I promise not to repeat this offence. The only issue is that I cannot eat in the evening without it," he told a packed courtroom.

He pleaded for a non-custodial sentence, saying that he smokes bhang to cope with the demands of his job.

"I usually wake up early in the morning when it is extremely cold to participate in cleaning activities in the city," he said.

"I plead for mercy, Your Honour. I take this harmful drug because of the nature of my job; it really requires me to smoke bhang. Believe me or not, I must smoke cannabis before my evening meals after a long day of work. You can confirm this with my neighbours," Ndori said.

Barasa ordered Ndori to be detained at the Eldoret Remand Prison until October 27, when she will deliver the judgment.