A mobile court sitting in Benin City has ruled that four persons convicted for violating the Edo State Government’s protocol against the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) would undergo two days of three-hour community service for attempting to mislead the court.
The convicts had pleaded not guilty to charges brought against them, but a witness proved beyond reasonable doubt to the court that they had indeed violated the state’s COVID-19 prevention protocol.
While the Chief Magistrate, Bright Eraze Oniha, sentenced the 4 convicts to two days of 3-hour daily community service, 18 other violators were slammed with three-hour community service within the court premises as punishment for the day.
The four persons who got two-day community service sentences are Mr. Omoruyi Osagie, Mr. Tanimowole Leke, Mr. Francis Osarumen and Mr. Uche Uwa.
The 18 other convicted persons include Prince Eweka, John Jimoh, Oliver Okereke, Akpos Sunday, Ivhonvbe Matthew, Abraham Adeleye, Friday Ehirobo, Okungbowa Omoruyi, Edobor Aibuedefe, Sani Ibrahim, Umaru Abdulahi, Hamisu Sanusi, Musubabu Dahiru, Aminu Balie, Ibahim Dahiru, Jemiru Ibrahim, Lawani Mustapha and Amodu Suleman.
They were all convicted for violating Regulation(s) 16(3) of the Edo State Dangerous Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulation 2020, by disobeying the restriction of movement order and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Quarantine Act, Cap Q2, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
