Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
An Uselu Mobile Court in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, on Thursday sentenced 12 persons to community service for trading in an unauthorised places and violating wearing of face mask in public places.
It would be recall that street trading , wearing of face mask, dusk-to dawn curfew among others, were imposed by Edo Government to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
The state Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Isaac Omokhide-Kadiri said that the 12 persons, who were apprehended at Wire Road and Uselu axis, pleaded guity to the offence.
According Omokhide-Kadiri,
“among the 12 persons; some of the defendants were apprehended while trading in an unauthorized places, while others were arrested in public places without face mask.
Presiding Chief Magistrate, Prince Mutairu Oare directed the convicts to carry out community services in line with the state government’s non-custodial regulation.
The punishment include clearing drains, shrubs, picking of trash, compulsory community sensitisation and grass cutting, among others.
The sentences ranged from one day to three days non-custodial community service.
The Chief Magistrate however, gave the convicts an option to pay a fine between N500 and N4,000.
The offenders would be handled by correctional officers during the punishment period.