Man nabbed with bhang freed after confessing to being in Nairobi for the first time
By Zipporah Ngwatu, November 28, 2025A Nairobi court has freed a 21-year-old man, Churchil Ouma Ouma, for being in possession of bhang (cannabis sativa) weighing 200 grams with a street value of Ksh2,000.
Ouma had been charged on November 20, 2025, where he denied being in possession of the said bhang, and a plea of not guilty was entered.
The court admitted him on a bond of Ksh100,000 with surety of a similar amount, with an alternative of Ksh30,000 cash bail with one contact person.
However, appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Rose Ndombi on Friday, November 28, 2025, Ouma changed his earlier plea and pleaded guilty to having the bhang.
Trying to trace the owner
He further informed the court that he does not dispute that he was found with the bhang but noted that it was in a bag, and he was trying to trace the owner.
Ouma told the court that the incident happened after he arrived in town, adding that it was his first time in Nairobi and he was arrested as he was looking for the owner of the bag.
“Nilipatikana na bhangi, ndio, sijakataa, lakini sikupatwa nayo kwa mkono; nilipatwa nayo kwa bag ambayo siku hiyo nilisafiri. Ni mara yangu ya kwanza kuingia Nairobi, na katika hali ya kuzubaa nikitafuta mwenye mzigo nikakamatwa,” Ouma told the court.
Further, he urged the court to forgive him for the offence because he was working on his papers to travel to Qatar, where he had been called for work.
Magistrate Ndombi has forgiven him and released him on humanitarian grounds to allow him to fly to Qatar and work, but warned the accused against repeating the same offence.
“I have considered the charges against you in this court and also your pleadings to the court and also the street value of the bhang you were found with, which is Ksh2,000. The court has also considered that you need to travel for work, and you are forgiven on humanitarian grounds,” Magistrate Ndombi ruled.
Ouma had been charged with possession of marijuana contrary to section 3(1) as read with section 3(2)(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, CAP 245.
According to the charge sheet, Ouma was arrested on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, within Nairobi County after he was found in possession of the bhang.
“On November 19, 2025, at around 5 pm at the Easy Coach stage within Nairobi County, [he] was found to be in possession of 200 grams of cannabis sativa (bhang) with a street value of Ksh2,000, which was not in any form of medicinal preparation,” part of the charge sheet read.
Push to legalise bhang
Ouma was charged two days after a Nairobi High Court adjourned the hearing of a case where the Rastafari Society of Kenya (RSK) are seeking decriminalisation of cannabis for spiritual use among the faithful in Kenya.
The Rastafarian Society argues that the use of marijuana is lawful as per the Kenyan Constitution; thus, it is wrong to criminalise its use.
The Rastafarians moved to the Milimani High Court seeking orders allowing them to use marijuana as far as their religious beliefs are concerned.
They argue that the law permits that if you have marijuana or ganja for prescription, then you will be allowed to use it for prescription.
Further, they also want the court to allow them to use bhang for meditation and reasoning.
According to them, it also allows that if one is given a licence to plant and cultivate marijuana, the law will act in your defence; you shall not be prosecuted by the state.
Notably, they aver that it is against the Constitution to arrest and charge the users of marijuana.
The High Court deferred the hearing to January 14 and 15, 2026, and he reserved March 12, 2026, for judgement.