By P, KNA
A Murang’a court has sentenced a 19-year-old teenager to one year in prison after finding him guilty of being in possession of 40 rolls of bhang valued at Sh 2,000.
The accused, Stephen Ndung’u, was arrested on August 12, 2025, at around 11:30 p.m. in Njuguini Sub-location, Murang’a County and he was charged with being in possession of narcotic drugs, contrary to the law.
In mitigation, Ndung’u pleaded for leniency, asking for a non-custodial sentence. He told the court that he uses bhang to relieve stress and sold it to support his mother and sister financially. He also claimed that he was being unfairly targeted by the area chief.
However, a probation report presented in court revealed that he is a repeat offender, having faced similar charges in May 2025 and last year, for which he had only received warnings.
The area chief and his assistant described Ndung’u as a well-known bhang peddler who targets high school and university students. They also linked him to a criminal gang allegedly behind a series of robberies and assaults in the area.
The two administrators opposed a non-custodial sentence, arguing that the accused poses a danger to the community and contributes to the rising bhang use among local youth.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate, Peter Ndwiga, noted Ndung’u’s repeated offenses and lack of remorse. He sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a Sh100,000 fine.