A 58-year-old man has told an Eldoret court that cultivating bhang on his farm was his main source of income, after he was arrested and charged with cultivating and trafficking cannabis. Geoffrey Lingori made the admission on Monday, September 7, when he appeared before Eldoret Principal Magistrate Kimani Mukabi.
“Your honour, it is true that I plant bhang on my small parcel of land as my main source of income,” Lingori told the court, according to the Kenya News Agency report published by The Star.
Lingori, who holds a certificate in mechanics from the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute in Eldoret, was arrested after police reportedly received information about cannabis being cultivated on his farm in Malel village, Kapseret Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County. According to the charge sheet, police recovered 34,000 grams of cannabis from Lingori’s farm, with an estimated street value of KSh1.032 million. The prosecution case is that detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Eldoret acted on a tip-off and raided the farm, where they allegedly found the cannabis plants. Lingori was also charged with trafficking 50 grams of cannabis, valued at KSh1,500, according to the charge sheet cited in the report. The alleged cultivation offence is said to have occurred on August 15, 2026, at Malel village.
Following the proceedings, Lingori was held at Eldoret GK Remand Prison pending further court proceedings. The case involves charges relating to the cultivation of prohibited plants and trafficking of narcotic drugs. The court is expected to make a further determination in the matter on September 18, 2026, according to the report. Lingori’s statement in court provides his own account of why he allegedly cultivated the crop, but the charges against him remain subject to determination through the judicial process. The case highlights the continued legal risks associated with cannabis cultivation and trafficking in Kenya, where unauthorised cultivation of the plant remains prohibited.
For now, the court will determine the charges based on the evidence presented by the prosecution and the accused’s response through the legal process.