Judge to Accused: Indian hemp can make you mad

Two persons on Thursday confessed to an Accra circuit court that they sold and smoked Indian hemp. Mustapha Sumaila, a trader, and Kofi Brefu, a carpenter, had been charged with possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

Sumaila, who pleaded not guilty, had in his possession 72 wrappers and a big parcel of Indian hemp while Brefu, who also pleaded guilty, had in his custody 32 wrappers.


When the trial judge, Mr Francis Obiri, quizzed Brefu, 18, as to why he smoked Indian hemp, he said it enabled him to work effectively.


Trial Judge: For how long have you been smoking?


Brefu: My Lord for the past two years.


Trial Judge: How many wrappers do you smoke in a day?

Brefu: My Lord I smoke one wrapper a day.


Trial Judge: How much do you sell a wrapper of Indian hemp?


Brefu: My Lord I sell it for one Ghana cedi. It was my friend who introduced me to the drugs.


Trial Judge: Don’t you know that you could become mad after smoking Indian hemp?


Brefu: My Lord I know. I beg you forgive me.

Brefu had earlier told the court that he had a child and a girlfriend.


In the case of Sumaila, 24, although he admitted smoking the drug, he denied that the parcel of Indian hemp belonged to him.


The trial judge, therefore, entered a plea of not guilty on Sumaila’s behalf and in the case of Brefu, the court said it would convict him for use of narcotics.


The case was, therefore, adjourned to December 2.


Following a tip off, Sumaila and Brefu were arrested during a swoop at Pokuase, near Amasaman in Accra this November.

Sumaila told the police that the parcel of Indian hemp did not belong to him, but claimed ownership of the 72 wrappers.


Brefu's drugs were found in a bucket belonging to his girlfriend.


The trial judge, however, decried the increasing number of youths who are caught in the web of drugs and robbery adding that persons between the ages of 13- 25 were involved in either drugs or robbery.


He, therefore, raised questions as to what some pastors were doing to help transform the youth.