17 persons have been convicted by an Edo Magistrate Court sitting in Oredo Magisterial District for violating COVID-19 protocols

They were arrested for violating the curfew imposed by the State Government restricting movement between 10 pm to 5 am, in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

The Chief Magistrate of the Mobile Court, Bright Eraze Oniha, sentenced the violators to three hours of community service within the court premises as punishment, after they all pleaded guilty.

The 17 persons arrested and convicted included: Emmanuel Chukwuka Abraham Timothy, Ikechukwu Ekeh, Festus Sylvester, Amadin Osazee; Owie Ben; Jessica Efe; Festus Osifo; Abigail Emmanuel; Samuel Sunny; Friday Iyoke; Chukudi John; Samuel Omobobule; Gift Obi; Ojo Ibrahim and Abdullahi Umar.

Nine of the convicts were arrested at Adenyan, six in New Benin, and two others at Aduwawa, all in Benin City, the state capital.

The presiding Magistrate said the suspects 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 committed an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Quarantine Act, Cap Q2, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.