A Kenyan man has been fined Sh24 million after being convicted of trafficking 266.2 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, commonly known as bhang, in Elgeyo Marakwet. The fine is three times the stated value of the seized cannabis, which was approximately Sh7,986,000. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) stated that the man was convicted under Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Amendment Act, 2022.
The case arose from an incident on January 18, 2026, along the Kapchorwa-Torongo Murram Road in Kamwosor Location, Keiyo South Sub-County. According to the prosecution, the accused was found trafficking the cannabis jointly with other persons. The prosecution presented six witnesses in support of its case and evidence linking the accused to the trafficking offence.
After considering the evidence presented by the prosecution, the court found the accused guilty and subsequently convicted him. The court took into account the quantity of the narcotic drugs when determining the appropriate sentence. The quantity of bhang was a significant aggravating circumstance, with the court noting that the offence involved the conveyance of a substantial quantity of 266.2 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa.
The court weighed the accused's mitigation against the aggravating circumstances surrounding the offence before determining the sentence. Having weighed the mitigation against the aggravating circumstances, the court found that the accused deserved a deterrent sentence. The court also noted its responsibility to protect the public from the effects of offences involving narcotic drugs.
The Sh24 million fine or a 10-year prison sentence in default was given to the accused. This comes weeks after a Kakamega woman was sentenced to 50 years in prison after she was convicted of trafficking five kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, valued at about Sh16,600. Alternatively, the court ordered her to pay a fine of Sh50 million.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) reported that the woman was found guilty of trafficking narcotic drugs following a case arising from a police raid at her rented house in Kakamega. The incident occurred on June 12, 2019, when police officers, acting on information from members of the public, raided the house in the Murram area of Kakamega Central Sub-County.
A search of the house led to the recovery of 22 brooms containing 5 kilograms of bhang, valued at approximately Sh16,600, according to the prosecution. The ODPP stated that the conviction and sentencing of both individuals demonstrate the efforts of the Kenyan authorities to combat the trafficking of narcotic drugs and protect the public from their effects.
Key points
- The man was fined Sh24 million for trafficking 266.2kg of cannabis sativa in Elgeyo Marakwet, Kenya.
- The fine is three times the stated value of the seized cannabis, which was approximately Sh7,986,000.
- The conviction comes weeks after a similar case in Kakamega where a woman was sentenced to 50 years in prison for trafficking five kilogrammes of cannabis sativa.
