Court remands 2 siblings, 3 others over alleged smoking of Indian hemp

An Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun on Thursday remanded five suspects, including two siblings, for allegedly smoking Indian hemp publicly.

The defendants are Adeyefa Seun, 28; Adeyefa Bamidele, 37; Omisakin Segun, 27; Adegoke Adeyefa, 39 and Samson Chally, 23.

The Magistrate, Joseph Owolawi, who did not grant bail to the defendants, ordered that they should be remanded in a correctional centre and adjourned the case till Tuesday for hearing.

The Prosecutor, Insp Emmanuel Abdullahi, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence on Tuesday around 8.30 a.m. in Ondo Road area of Ile-Ife.

Abdullahi said that the defendants conspired among themselves and conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of public peace.

He added that the defendants’ conduct might likely cause a great breakdown of law and order in Ile-Ife and its environs.

The prosecutor stated further that the defendants publicly engaged themselves in smoking weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and caused pandemonium in the community.

According to him, the offence contravenes Sections 249(d) and 516 of the Criminal Code of Osun, 2002.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of breach of public peace.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Ben Adidieje, pleaded for bail for the defendants in the most liberal terms and promised that his clients would not jump bail.