Inmate spills beans on narcotics trade in Nyeri police cells
Rolls of bhang. An inmate has reveals how narcotics, including bhang are sneaked into police cells in Nyeri. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The man facing charges of peddling narcotics and livestock theft revealed the last deal he handled was worth Sh1, 200.
- The lady, who supplies food for the remandees has been arrested.
An inmate at Nyeri Main Prison revealed to a court how a woman has been sneaking narcotics to suspects held in police cells.
Mr Charles Gitonga told police that illegal drugs worth thousands of shillings are making their way into police cells concealed as food delivered by a woman only identified as Margaret.
The woman is a well-known food vendor in Othaya town and has been selling food to police officers and suspects at the Othaya Police Station, which also serves as the divisional headquarters.
In a confession filed in court, the man facing charges of peddling narcotics and livestock theft revealed the last deal he handled was worth Sh1, 200.
“I remember very well when the woman who serves us brought me food. That day she was serving us Ugali and cabbage. She had concealed in the food a paper bag containing 120 rolls of cannabis (bhang),” the confession read.
CONFESSION
He denied the charges of livestock theft but admitted to possessing narcotics through his confession.
He went ahead to say that he immediately reached for the polythene bag containing the 120 rolls of bhang and slipped it in his undergarments.
“When the woman came to collect the plates, I gave her Sh1, 200 as payment for the package,” he explained.
Mr Gitonga said he had heard from other remandees that the woman usually supplies bhang to the inmates who then sell it at King’ong’o Prison.
A roll of cannabis goes for Sh100, he said.
SEARCH
The confessionary statement stated that the drugs were nabbed at King’ong’o Prison because the officers at the Othaya Police Station did not conduct a search.
“When we were leaving the police station in Othaya, no search was conducted and it was at the prison that the 120 rolls of bhang were recovered in my underwear upon a thorough search,” he said.
He told the court that he had negotiated with the woman to bring him the bhang when his matter was coming next for hearing.
The lady, who supplies food for the remandees has been arrested and police have launched investigation into the matter.
Mr Gitonga will remain in custody until March 28 when the case will be coming up next for hearing ta the Othaya Law court.
