Eighteen (18) persons have been arraigned, on Wednesday at Kenema Magistrate Court No. 2 presided by Magistrate Joseph Tobby, for not wearing face masks.
The accused persons include, Michael Bundor, Fatoma Fofana, Rebecca Koroma, Fatmata Barrie, Lansana Massaquoi, Tommy Tucker, Edna Alpha, Joseph Saidu, Yusufu Bangura, Saidu Kamara, Saidu Sesay, Lamin Gibrilla, Fatmata Bah, Mary Musa, John Bockarie, Kadiatu Kargbo, Issac Newton and Hannah Sankoh. Some of the accused persons are students.
According to the particulars of the offence, the18 people on Monday July 6, 2020, within the Kenema City, Nongowa Chiefdom in the Kenema Judicial District in the eastern province, were found not wearing face masks at an open market place.
All the accused persons pleaded guilty and begged for mercy but were sentenced to 72 hours in prison or pay a fine of Le 20,000.00 each.
The matter was prosecuted by Inspector Teh attached to the Legal and Justice Support Department at the Kenema Police Division.
Use of face masks is compulsory in all public places, according to the enhanced COVID-19 regulations which were put out by the National Covid-19 Response Centre (NaCOVERC).
The regulations require that, face masks must be worn by passengers and drivers/coxswains in all forms of public transportation at all times.
They also require that occupants of private vehicles must also use face masks while in vehicles, except in cases where the driver is alone. The driver and all passengers without masks in public transports will be liable to pay a fine of Le100,000 or be detained for a first offence, according to the regulations.
Use of face masks is compulsory in all office buildings, public and private by both staff and visitors, according to the regulation. Therefore, visitors not wearing face masks shall not be allowed into any office. Occupants of any room in an office building can only be without a face mask, if the individual is alone in the room or the occupants are at least 6 feet apart.
By Mohamed Mansaray in Kenema
10/07/2020. ISSUE NO.: 7863