A couple in Meru County was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday, September 29, for trafficking of drugs worth Ksh 3.5 million.
While making the ruling, Senior Principal Magistrate Thomas Muraguri stated the prosecution led by James Kinyua and Antony Musyoka, proved beyond reasonable doubt that the two were guilty.
James Muthiora alias Karinta and his wife Fridah Karimi were accused of peddling narcotics alongside Timothy Kinoti Kariaci, Joseph Ekeno Ekeno and Jacob Githae Mukunyu.
The four were arrested at Karinta's home during a raid by then DCIO James Githinji and then county commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga.
On November 1, 2018, the four denied the three charges including trafficking 103kg of bhang worth Sh3,090,000 at Kooje Estate in North Imenti.
“In the first count, the accused person is sentenced to pay a fine of Sh4.6 million or serve five years in prison for trafficking in a narcotic drugs contrary Section 4 and Psychotropic Substances Control Act.
“In addition to the third count, the accused person was sentenced to life imprisonment for being in possession of utensils used in connection with the preparation of narcotic drugs contrary to Section 5 and Psychotropic Substances Control Act meaning the fine runs concurrently with the life sentence,” Muraguri ruled.
However, Kariaci, Ekeno and Mukunyu were set free for lack of enough evidence.
The defense team has vowed to make an appeal at the High Court.
The ruling came just days after a form three student was arrested after he was caught peddling bhang to fellow students at Rapogi Mixed Secondary School in Kombewa, Seme Sub-county.
Chief Nicholas Oguma stated that the student was interrogated and found with 11 sticks of bhang.
The boy led the chief to a home where the drugs are sold. There, authorities caught a woman with over 700 rolls of bhang and also 14 litres of changaa and kangaraa used to make the illicit brew.
