An Ekiti Magistrates' Court has sentenced nine people, including one traditional title holder and a cleric, to six months in prison for open defecation.
The sentence was pronounced on Wednessday.
Those convicted were arraigned for various sanitation offences, including non-availability of toilet facilities in their houses, non-availability of waste bins, and defecating in the open.
Out of the 18 people arraigned before the Magistrate court by Ekiti Local Government Environmental Health Officers, nine people pleaded guilty to the offences, and were convicted.
The convicts from Aramoko, Erio, and Ido Ile communities, were arranged before an Aramoko Magistrate court for various sanitation offences including non-availability of toilet facilities in their houses, non-availability of waste bins, and defecating in the open.
The convicts are Pastor Olaleye Isaac-Aramoko; Chief Ologun Ala- Aramoko; Mr Agboola- Aramoko; Mr Atoro- Aramoko; Mr Adetoyinbo- Aramoko; Mr Adesoba Sunday- Erio; Chief Jacob Taiwo- Ido Ile; Mr Titus Ibironke- Ido Ile; and Mrs Olu Obateru- Ido Ile; all in Ekiti West Local Government, Ekiti state.
While delivering the judgement, Adeosun Abayomi, the Magistrate, lamented the environmental nuisance caused by open defecation.
However, he made options of fines ranging from N5,000 to N15,000 available to the convicts.
The Magistrate court also issued a bench warrant for the arrest of nine other persons who failed to honour the court's summons for similar offence.
He ordered the Police to present them for prosecution on April 25, 2019.
Addressing journalists after the conviction, Chief Prosecutor, Ekiti West Local Government- Mr Ebenezer Fashipe lamented that citizens valued their wealth more than their health, assuring the local government will continue to prosecute households without toilets until open defecation is eradicated in the area.
Also commenting on the development, Team Leader of Bread of Life Development Foundation implementing ‘Farewell to Open Defecation’ project in Ekiti West and Gbonyin Local Governments, Ekiti state- Mr Babatope Babalobi commended Ekiti West Local Government for taking the bold initiative in enforcing sanitation laws against open defecation, saying this will send a strong signal to all households without toilets in Ekiti state that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with them.
He assured that Bread of Life with the support of the European Union Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme phase three (WSSSRP III) will continue to work with the stakeholders to eradicate open defecation in Ekiti state which ranks the second highest in Nigeria
Babatope Babalobi
Team Leader, Bread of Life Development Foundation
08035897435 blfnigeria@yahoo.com
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