12th April, 2011
An Abuja Senior Magistrate’s Court on Monday sentenced seven men to one month imprisonment each for a joint act and being in possession of indian hemp.
They are Rabiu Ali, Abdullahi Musa, Kabiru Salisu, Mustapha Muazu, Sabiu Isah, Mohammed Audu and Abubakar Salisu.
The Police Prosecutor, Corporal Umar Mohammed told the court that the convicts were arrested by one Insp. Mathias of Squadron 21 Mobile Police Force and his team on anti-crime patrol.
Mohammed said that they were all arrested on April 9 during the National Assembly election.
He said that five wraps of Indian hemp were found in the convicts’ Toyota Corolla car marked BU 539 ABC, conveying them to the polling station.
The prosecutor argued that the convicts had a common intention to smoke the Indian hemp and that the offence was punishable under the law.
When the charge was read to them, they all pleaded guilty and pleaded for leniency.
The third convict, Kabiru Salisu particularly pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as he would be taking his second wife in two weeks’ time.
“ I have a wife at home and also planning to take a second wife in the next two weeks, so I am pleading with the court to show me mercy,’’ Salisu pleaded.
Delivering judgment, Senior Magistrate Nkwadimi Buba, sentenced each of the convicts to one month imprisonment or an option of N1,000 fine.
Buba also ordered that the Toyota Corolla car in police custody be released to the convicts.
He advised them to be of good behaviour.