A man who leased his land to a bhang trafficker was on Wednesday jailed for 30 years or pay a fine of Sh50 million in default by a Nyahururu court.

Resident Magistrate Francis Larabi said the sentence he meted on Bernard Waguru Mwangi should serve as an example and deter others with intent to engage in narcotic trafficking.

“The crime of possession and trafficking of narcotics substance has been rampant in Laikipia County and generally across the country.

“Many youth especially students have been entrapped into abuse of drug use leading to addiction. The use of thjis substance has wasted many life especially those of the youth,” the magistrate said.

The magistrate ordered destruction of the 63 bags of bhang and forfeiting to government the container used to store the narcotics.

The iron sheets and posts used to fence off the area where the container was found out Nyahururu town will also forfeited to government.

The bhang was found stored in the container at Waguru’s farm in Kigumo Village, Losogwa area near the Laikipia University.

He was arrested on January 18, this year following a raid by police officers. The bhang was said to be worth Sh41 million. The court had been told that police found 63 bags of bhang in the container.

The accused claimed that he was approached by some two gentlemen who informed him that they were looking for land to purchase.

Waguru said he was paid Sh5,000 by one Robert Mwangi as lease payment for the land. He said it is Mwangi, who is still at large, who then put the container there and he (accused came to realize later that the container had bhang in it.