Written by Abdulkadir Y. Abdullahi & Hussein Yahaya Thursday, 30 June 2011 20:47
Two middle-aged women and a man were yesterday sentenced to nine months imprisonment each by an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Karu for smoking three wraps of Indian hemp.
Friday Timothy, 22, Chioma Joseph, 20 and Sandra Sunday were convicted for joint acts and smoking, offences contrary to Sections 79 of the Penal Code, CAP 89 of Northern States Provision Act and CAP 345 law of the federation 1990.
Police Prosecutor, Francis Udofia, stated in court that on June 27, policemen from Karu Divisional acting on intelligence report swooped on the accused persons at a hide-out in a guest inn at Karu Park, smoking three wraps of Indian hemp.
He said the actions of the accused persons angered their neighbours who volunteered certain information that led to their arrest, adding that the acts also endangered the health of their neighbours.
When the charges were read to the accused persons, they pleaded guilty and begged for forgiveness, while the prosecutor asked for summary trial.
Chief Magistrate Ahmed Shuaibu sentenced each of the accused persons to two months imprisonments for joint acts and six months for smoking Indian hemp or to pay N2,000 fines each.
The magistrate also advised the convicts to desist from such acts.
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Women jailed for smoking Indian hemp