Popular deejay, Areal 'Mr Peppa' Walters, known for hits such as Talk and Gangsta Guerilla, pleaded guilty to smoking ganja, in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Resident Magistrate Glen Brown fined Walters, who asked the court to be kind and to keep the conviction off his record. He said, "Your Honour, I would like to ask for some lenience in this matter.

I am a recording artiste so I'm asking you not to put this on my record. I have shows pending and I wouldn't want to be denied because of this."

RM Brown asked Walters how long he had been smoking marijuana, to which he replied, "about 10 years." He was also asked how long he had known that smoking marijuana was illegal and he answered, "about the same time, Your Honour."

Before handing down a $1,000 fine or 10 days in jail, the RM told Walters, "So if you know it is illegal and you don't want it on your record, you know what to do."