A Nyahururu court has sentenced a middle-aged man, Bernard Waiguru Mwangi, to either a shs 50 million fine or a 30-year prison term after convicting him of drug trafficking.
Mwangi was found guilty of possessing and trafficking 1,422 kilograms of cannabis sativa, valued at shs 41 million, in violation of Section 4(ii) of the Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Amendment Act of 2022.
The incident occurred on January 18 at Kigumo village in Nyahururu Sub-County, Laikipia County, where the drugs were discovered hidden in a container covered with aluminum iron sheets.
According to reports, the stash had been stored by an unidentified dealer for over a month.
In his ruling, Resident Magistrate Fredrick Larabi emphasized the gravity of the offense, noting that drug trafficking remains a widespread issue across the country.
He explained that the harsh sentence aims to serve as a deterrent to similar crimes.
The prosecution presented five witnesses who testified, successfully establishing Mwangi’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
In his defense, Mwangi testified but did not call any witnesses, failing to refute the prosecution’s evidence.
Consequently, the court imposed the fine or prison sentence and granted Mwangi a 14-day period to appeal the verdict.
Additionally, the court ordered the destruction of the 63 bags of cannabis, with Nyahururu’s Deputy Commissioner, Area Police Commander, DCI, OCS Nyahururu, and Public Health officials to oversee the process.
The iron sheets and container used for storage were forfeited to the state and will be repurposed, as no ownership claims were made.
