An Abeokuta Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced eight persons to community service over indiscriminate waste disposal.

The convicts are: Abidemi Oyebanjo, Aminat Adewusi, Aminat Olarewaju, Omolana Olusola, Abiola Moridiya, Mary Olaogun, Abiodun Aromokun and Sylvester Iwenya.

They were sentenced on two counts of unlawful and improper waste disposal on public roads and acts dangerous to health, life and property.

Delivering judgment, Magistrate A.K. Araba found the eight defendants guilty of the charges and sentenced them to community service within the court premises.

Mrs Araba further directed that the photographs of the convicts while carrying out the community service be displayed on the court’s notice board.

She warned that any offender found guilty of a similar offence in the future would be jailed without the option of a fine, to serve as a deterrent to others.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Kehinde Ogunsola, a medical officer of Health with the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), told the court that the defendants committed the offences at different locations within the capital.

Mr Ogunsola said the defendants were caught dumping waste on public roads between 6:15 a.m. and 8:05 a.m. at the Isale-Igbein, Car Wash and Abiola Way areas in Abeokuta.

He said the acts constituted environmental and public health hazards, noting that the waste emitted an offensive odour, attracted flies, and created conditions conducive to the spread of cholera.

He added that indiscriminate dumping of refuse could also lead to flooding, thereby endangering lives and property.

According to Mr Ogunsola, the offences contravene the provisions of Section 34(1) of the Public Health Law of Ogun 2006 and the Ogun State Waste Management Authority Law, 2020.

Reacting to the judgment, a special adviser to the governor and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde, commended the judiciary for supporting the agency’s efforts to curb indiscriminate waste disposal in the state.

Mr Akintunde promised that the authority would intensify enforcement activities across Ogun State to ensure compliance with environmental sanitation laws.

He also urged residents to patronise accredited waste managers operating in their areas and to desist from dumping refuse on roads and other public places.

 (NAN)