A Mombasa court on Thursday sentenced 6 people accused of smoking shisha to four months in jail.
The six; Muktar Abey, Abdulhalim Sadik, Adonai Berhane, Sumeiya Jamaa, Farhiya Ali, and Ali Fundi were among 10 people charged with illegally smoking shisha and they chose to plead guilty.
The four others who pleaded not guilty were released on a Ksh50,000 bond.
The prosecution revealed that police officers at Makupa Police Station received reports of people smoking shisha while they were on their night patrol.
The officers proceeded to storm a restaurant in Sparki Area, Mombasa where they arrested several people .
[caption caption="Former Health CS Cleopa Mailu"]
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Senior Resident Magistrate Martin Rabera delivered one of the first convictions on shisha smoking since the activity was outlawed by then Health CS Cleopa Mailu in December last year.
The decision faced stiff opposition at the time but the Ministry stuck to its guns as it maintained that shisha had negative health effects on smokers.
Mailu noted that it affected vital organs including the brain, lungs and leads to blockage of arteries and can cause tuberculosis.
He highlighted that shisha also affects non-smokers as a justification for outlawing it.
Justice Roseline Aburili refused to lift the ban earlier this year pending hearing and determination of a case objecting to the same.
She noted that while the applicants had an arguable case, it was not guaranteed to be successful as she instructed them to await completion of the full hearing.
[caption caption="File image of a woman smoking shisha at a past event"]
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