Man who ‘promised’ judge he won’t stop farming bhang jailed again

A 28-year-old man was on Monday sentenced to six years in prison after he recommitted an offence for which he had been jailed for 10 years, and had also threatened to commit after completing the jail term.

Adsalam Walkman was handed a 10-year jail term in 2013 after he was found guilty of cultivating marijuana at Kevote village in Embu North but was freed in January this year following a presidential pardon.

However, barely a month after his release, he went back to his illegal trade and was arrested on February 8, 2019 for cultivating marijuana at his home.

While being sentenced six years ago, he had asked the court to give him a two sentences since he was a marijuana farmer, adding that he would continue with the trade after serving the jail term. His argument was that after serving “two jail terms” police should not arrest him again for the repeat offence.

Appearing before Embu Principal Magistrate Samuel Mutai on Monday, the accused was charged that he was found cultivating 60 large stems of cannabis sativa.

He also faced a second count of resisting arrest after police officers raided his home. The officers are said to have shot the accused on the leg and chest after he wielded a panga at them during the arrest.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years for the first offense of cultivating bhang and one year for the second count of resisting arrest.

This time round he told the court he would not repeat the offence since he had sustained serious injuries from the gunshots.