Labourer gets 6 months jail term over unlawful possession of Indian Hemp

An Area Court in Jos, on Wednesday sentenced an 18-year-old labourer, Mohammed Ahmed, to six months imprisonment for unlawful possession of cannabis sativa.

Magistrates Sadiq Adam and Hyacinth Dolnaan, jointly sentenced Ahmed, after he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis, also known as Indian Hemp, and begged the court for leniency.

The convict was however, given an option to pay N20,000 as fine.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Mark Audu, told the court that while on routine patrol with his team at West of Mines area on Oct. 2, they found the accused person with four wraps of dried leaves, suspected to be cannabis.

The offence, Audu said, contravened the provisions of sections 60 and 149 of the Plateau State Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.