BENIN CITY – A mobile court sitting in Benin City presided over by Chief Magistrate Bright Eraze Oniha has convicted 16 persons for disobeying the directive of the Edo State Government on compulsory use of facemasks and restriction of movement between 10pm and 5am.
The convicted persons, after pleading guilty to the offence, were sentenced to three (3) hours of community service within the premises of the Edo State High Court, Benin City.
The Chief Magistrate discharged and acquitted three other persons including Blessing Imasuen, Abu Bala and Elvis Elechi.
He said one among the three accused persons was arrested inside his hotel room, while two others, who are bouncers, were arrested within their work premises, noting that the bouncers proved beyond reasonable doubt that they were at their duty post preventing customers from gaining entrance at the time of their arrest.
The sixteen (16) persons convicted include: Osagie Obamedo, Kelvin Osabuohien, Emmanuel Jobson, John Samson, Richard Asho, Adesogie Blessed, Moses Jacob, Godson Onluige, Emmanuel Mamadu, Lorito Igwe, Adesuwa Enogiemwan, Jasper Iwuozor, Grace Peter, Emmanuel John, Endurance Akugbe and Victory Basil.
The accused persons were 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 committing an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Quarantine Act, Cap Q2, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
