An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday found a PUNCH driver, Momoh Joshua, and six others guilty of violating government directives on curfew in Ekiti State.
Mohmoh, though on essential duty, was found guilty of conveying Sesan Ajayi, Owoola Ikesanmi, Joseph Agboola, Adeyinka Toyosi, Alabi Bukola and Oluwatuyi Abiodun instead of newspapers.
The Director for Public Prosecution, Mr Julius Ajibare, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on April 19 at about 8:00 a.m in Ikere-Ekiti.
The DPP said the defendants violated the provisions of Regulation 2 (1) (b) punishable under Regulation 12 of the Ekiti State Coronavirus (prevention of infection) Regulations, 2020 made pursuant to section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Cap Q2, LFN, 2004.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abdulhamid Lawal, found all defendants guilty and ruled that Momoh would pay a fine of N30,000 on the two counts preferred against him, alongside community service for two days.
He said the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th defendant would pay the sum of N5,000 and also engage in a two-day community service each.
The 5th defendant, Adeyinka Toyosi, who said she was a nurse working in Lagos at the National Orthopaedic Hospital was fined N2,000 for trying to use an illegal means to get back to Lagos.
However, the 4th defendant, Joseph Agboola, was said to have absconded on the way to the court. Consequently, the Chief Magistrate issued issued a warrant of arrest against him.