A Hohoe Magistrate Court has sentenced Ekpane Seyram, a barber for collecting and dumping rubbish into a public drain.  

Ekpane pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced on his own plea to a fine of GHS 600 or would serve two months in prison in default.  

Mr Daniel Dotse Eklo, Environmental Health Analyst, Prosecuting, told the court, presided over by the relieving judge, Mr Lambert Y. Keriba, that the convict on Monday July 27, at about 2000 hours was caught dumping rubbish into the public drain around the Konuvie Plaza area. 

He said the activity of the convict was captured on a video and subsequently shared on Facebook.  

Mr Eklo said the incident caught the attention of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the Environmental Health Office at about 2126 hours the same day. 

He said the Environmental Health Unit in collaboration with the MCE through an investigation got the convict on Wednesday at about 1030 hours who accepted liability to the offence upon interrogation. 

Mr Eklo said the convict added that he collected the rubbish in and around a drinking bar where he had been staying belonging to one Madam Cecilia Attamah and Vincentia Attamah around the Konuvie area and dumped the same in the public drain around the area. 

He said the Assembly placed skip containers at vantage points in the Municipality for the collection and proper disposal of refuse. 

He said: “The Konuvie area is behind the Total Fuel Station around the station traffic light which is just about 150 meters from the Low Cost down and Market area container site.”  

He described the convict’s action as barbaric and inimical to the environment which could lead to flooding and outbreak of diseases.