Kwabena Kankani, a farmer who has been in prison custody since August 2007 following his arrest for a drug related charge, was on Wednesday jailed 12 months in hard labour by the Asamankese Circuit Court.
Kankani pleaded not guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of GHC 1,200 or to serve additional six months in jail.
Police Chief Inspector Kate Ogyiri, prosecuting, said on August 08, 2007 the Asamankese police had information that some people were smoking Indian hemp in a house.
The police arrested Kankani and during a search found the stuff in his pocket.
In his judgement Mr Emmanuel Siameh said the drug menace was a serious threat to society and it should be rooted out or reduced to the barest
minimum.
He said taking into consideration Kankani had been in custody since August 2007 and also that the quantity of the stuff found on him was small
and being a first offender, the court was using its discretion to impose the minimum custodial sentence on him.