Court sentences 53 to community services for violating face mask order in Osun
A magistrates’ court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday sentenced 53 persons to two-hour community service for violating the COVID-19 protocol ordered by the state government.
The Osun State Joint Task Force on Tuesday arrested 60 violators in the state capital for not wearing face masks. One of the violators, who was pregnant and two that are ill were discharged, while four suspects could not be produced as they were said to have run away.
The state’s counsel, Mr Adekunle Adeniyi, told the court that the convict did conduct themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by not following the laid down guidelines in respect of COVID-19 pandemic.
Adekunle said the offence contravened the provision of section 249(d)(3) of the Criminal Code, Law of Osun State, 2002. All the convicts pleaded guilty to the charge of breach of peace preferred against them.
Their counsel, Okobe Nagite, prayed the court to caution and discharge all the convicts, noting that they are all remorseful. But, Magistrate Abayomi Ajala cautioned and discharged only Olagunju Bukola, who is pregnant, Nafisat Raji and Olagunju Tolulope, because of their health conditions.
He subsequently pronounced two-hour community service for the convicts. The magistrate also added two hours to the terms of Ajewole Siju or to pay option of fine of N2,000 for resisting arrest and assaulting Mrs Fadare Grace, a member of the NCDC task force. The state had on Monday arraigned 102 persons for the same offence.
Meanwhile, three men, who allegedly stole cell phones worth N43,000 from a woman were, on Tuesday, brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
The defendants, Sodiq Alamin, 26; Ruya Yakubu, 23 and Yusuf Adamu, 22, all residents of Ilaje, Ajah, are standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, theft and armed robbery.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them by the police. Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Chinedu Uwadiole, had told the court that the defendants committed the offences on July 7, at 8:30p.m. in Ilaje area of Ajah, Lagos. He said that the defendants threatened one Ms Shade Oyeleke with a cutlass and stole a Nokia phone worth N3,000 and one VTE phone worth N40,000 from her.
According to Uwadiole, the offences contravene Sections 287, 297(2)(a) and 299 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The magistrate, Mrs O.S. Ominy, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum. She, thereafter, adjourned the case till Sept. 16, for mention.
