Some three male secondary school students have been brought before the law in Yaounde Center region of Cameroon after they were caught taking Cannabis in the vicinity of their campus during school hours in Yaounde.

Identified by name as Jospin Mbutcha, Abdou Raman and Biya Njansé, aged 18 and 19, the three are said to be from the Bilingual Technical High School of Nkolbisson in Yaoundé VII.

Reports say they were brought before the Court of First Instance (TPI) of the Yaounde Administrative Center for drug consumption.

According to sources, the boys were accompanied by their parents who kept whispering to their kids during the hearing, perhaps to avoid any mistake that could land them to more serious issues.

The three were surprised in a nearby bush around their campus, on November 4^th, 2020, in possession of sachets of cannabis and a shisha (a steam pipe used to inhale tobacco or other intoxicating substances).

The sealed items were presented as exhibits to help establish before the court but the defendants all pleaded not guilty, declining possession of the illicit packs. The all refused providing details on how the drugs got to them if not belonging to them.

According to the prosecutor, the parents had very little or no role to play given that the boys are no longer minors. The case has been adjourned to January 25^th, 2021.

This is happening at a time government is stepping up the fight against the consumption of illicit substances especially by the youth. The phenomenon is however gaining steam within the country with more and more youths getting attracted to it.