A Mobile Court set up by the Kwara State government to try offenders of the state’s Environmental Laws yesterday prosecuted 12 offenders at the popular Oja—Oba market in Ilorin, the state capital.
The convicts were apprehended at different locations in the Oja- Oba market, for encroaching on the main road to display their wares.
LEADERSHIP reports that officials of the state Ministry of Environment had recently carried out sensitisation programmes on the dangers of trading by the roadside or encroaching on the main road for trading activities.
Following the marketers’ refusal to heed its warning, the government on Monday announced the establishment of a Mobile Court to try offenders on the spot.
The Mobile Court, which commenced operation on Tuesday, has a Chief Magistrate, environmental health officers (EHO) and security personnel as members.
The convicts were arraigned before the court for offences ranging from road encroachment and illegal display of wares on pedestrian walkways, among others.
In his ruling, Magistrate Muhammad Aluko, sentenced the offenders in line with the provisions of Kwara State Environmental Laws, but gave them an option of fines in consideration of being first offenders.
All the convicts paid their various fines into the coffers of the state government, through the personnel of the State Internal Revenue Services ( KWIRS) , who were also on the ground.
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