A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, has sentenced a 37-year-old man, Mashood Mohammed, to 24 months imprisonment for unlawful possession of cannabis sativa, popularly called Indian hemp.

The judge, Justice J. K. Daggard, however gave Mohammed, father of five, diagnosed of tuberculosis, N60,000 option of fine, as he is suffering from a communicable disease.

The judge also ordered that the cannabis sativa should be destroyed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the presence of the chief registrar of the court.

Mohammed was docked on a count of unlawful possession of 8kg of cannabis sativa, an offence he admitted committing.

The prosecutor, Mr Iliya Waji, said that the convict was arrested on Feb. 13 by NDLEA officials.

He said that the offence contravened Section 11c of the NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

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