Court Convicts 33 For Violating COVID-19 Protocols In Benin

No fewer than thirty-three resident of Benin in Edo State have been arrested and sentenced for violating COVID-19 protocols.

Naija News understands that the accused persons were arrested and convicted by a Mobile Court in the state capital on Friday, March 5, 2021.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigerian a few moments ago, the prosecuting counsel, Mr G. O. Odeyibo, noted that six out of the thirty-three violators were arrested for not disposing their wastes properly at Oba Market of the city.

While others who subsequently pleaded guilty were arrested for not using face masks and for failing to maintain social distances in public places as directed by the Federal government.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Rusberth Imafidon convicted the 21 face mask violators and directed them to do community service for three hours daily for two days without any option of a fine. While he also sentenced the six convicts who did not properly dispose wastes at the Oba Market, to do community service of three hours for one day.

According to him, doing community service was in tune with the non-custodial sentence. Imafidon also directed the correctional officers to oversee the convicts while serving their punishments.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC has announced three hundred and seventy-one new cases of COVID-19 disease in Nigeria.

The health agency confirmed the cases on its official Twitter handle at exactly 11:40 pm on Friday, March 5, Naija News reports.