BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |
Three persons have been slapped with a total of Ghc39,600 fine by the Kpando Circuit court for breaching the Presidential order on public gathering, Volta Online can report.
The three, Apostle Sampson Agakpe, founder of the Church of Pure Christ, and his assistants, Maxwell Dzogoedzikpe and Samuel Agakpe a pastor were arrested by the Peki Police in the South Dayi district for holding a church service with a congregation of about 50, contrary to the ban on public gathering to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Appearing in Court on Thursday, the three men were found guilty of violating the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012) and convicted on their own plea to a fine of 1,100 penalty units (Ghc13,200) each or in default, serve a 4-year jail term.
Dr. Archibald Letsa, the Volta Regional minister, who confirmed the news in an exclusive Facebook live interaction on Ex TV & Volta Online hosted by Rustum Gameli Senorgbe, said the development was a welcoming one, as he blamed the indiscipline of some citizens as a threat against the containment of the pandemic in the region.
Watch Dr. Letsa’s full Interview Here
Exclusive details obtained by Volta Online from the court, revealed that, the presiding judge, His Honour, Nana Brew further directed the prosecution led by the Detective Sergeant, Henry Doku, to have the three convicts tested for the #COVID19 before being sent to jail in case of default.
During the trial, Volta Online understands, the pastor had resisted initial attempts by the prosecutor to exclude the two church members from prosecution, as he alone cannot be held liable for an offence they all committed.
The successful prosecution of these people, comes on the back of the announcement by the Police Service, early this week that, about 406 persons have been arrested in the country for breaching the Restriction law, of which 67 of them were being prosecuted in the Volta region.
The recently enacted law, gives the President, the power to impose restrictions in an emergency situation through Executive Instrument, and also provides a sanction regime, of a fine, jail term or both.
Highlight
- According to section 6 of the Act 1012, ‘A person who fails to comply with a restriction imposed under the Executive Instrument issued under subsection (1) of section 2 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 1000 penalty units and not more than 5000 penalty units or a term of imprisonment of not less than 4 years and not more than 10 years.’
- A one penalty unit in monetary term is Ghc12.00, making the minimum fine in the law, Ghc12,000 and the maximum, Ghc60,000.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com
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