By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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For allegedly being in possession of weeds suspected to the Indian hemp, a 27-year-old man, Adegbite Abayomi, has been docked before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court.

The defendant, who was until his arraignment  a chieftain of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ikole-Ekiti branch is standing trial on a charge of possession of Indian hemp.

The police prosecutor, Sgt Alice Ojo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 21 at about 08:00 p.m in Ado-Ekiti.

She said that the police had found five wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp in the possession of the defendant.

Ojo said that the offence contravened Section 5(b) of the Indian Hemp Act 1966.

She urged the court to adjourn the case to enable her study the file and assemble her witnesses.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him, while his counsel, Mrs Adunni Olanipekun, urged the court to grant him client bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kehinde Awosika, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N25,000 with one surety in like sum.

Awosika ruled that the surety must be a blood relation to the defendant.

She adjourned the case till July 6 for hearing.