Police arrest 70 teenagers for smoking bhang at house party
Police yellow crime tape.
At least 70 teenagers were arrested on Saturday December 21 for allegedly smoking bhang at a house party in Kisumu.
The party, which was held at Kisumu's Mountain View estate, had attracted over 100 youths.
According to Kisumu Central Sub County Commander Peter Mulai, the youths were smoking bhang when they were arrested.
The sub-county commander said the partygoers were all minors aged 16 and below.
"We found the teenagers sitting in groups smoking bhang in a house whose owners are yet to be identified," Mr Mulai said.
Some of the minors fled after jumping over the wall when 70 of their colleagues were arrested. They were taken to the Obung'a police post.
The police were tipped off by a neighbour who was curious about the large number of young people arriving at the house and the loud music.
The police later learned that the party had been organised by one of the teenagers living in the house.
"We are informed that the minors received an invitation through an Instagram post by the party organiser, who claimed that he was expecting over 200 attendees," says Mr Mulai.
The party was attended by both boys and girls from primary and high school.
However, the party organiser is said to be among the more than 30 people who escaped arrest by jumping the perimeter wall.
"We have already started investigating the social media site used to mobilise the youths and the whereabouts of the party organisers," the officer said.
All the minors were reprimanded at the police station, while their parents were later called to pick them up.
A junior officer, who is not allowed to speak to the media, said most of the parents were shocked to learn that their children had been arrested at the party.
"Some could not even believe that the minors were smoking bhang. Like their children, we also gave them a lecture before releasing the minors to them," he says.
Mr Mulai says only three minors are still at the police station after failing to provide contact details of their parents.
He has appealed to parents whose children may be missing to contact the police station.
At the same time, Mr Mulai urged parents to keep a close watch on their children during the festive season, saying some could easily be lured into harmful activities and groups through peer pressure.
"The festivities come with a lot of influence, this is the time when some children are introduced to drug abuse, get sexually transmitted infections while young girls also get impregnated. Let's be aware of what our children are doing," he said.
