Georgina Mensah, a food vendor, was on Thursday convicted by the Kade District Magistrate Court for leaving her cooking utensils unclean. Georgina was alleged to have told Environmental Health Officers who summoned her to appear before the court that only a caterpillar could pull her to the court. She therefore refused to make an appearance and was arrested on a bench warrant and arraigned before the court. Georgina pleaded guilty and was fined GH¢120 and ordered to pay GH¢20 compensation each to the Kwaebibirem District Assembly and the Environmental Health Unit. The Magistrate, Mr Abdul Majid Iliasu, said if the fine was paid, Georgina had two weeks to pay the compensation. She was then granted bail of GH¢800 with one surety to re-appear on February 22 and to send along a health certificate permitting her to ply her trade. Prosecuting, Mr Owusu Ansah, Deputy District Environmental Officer, said on January 11, environmental health officers on their routine rounds got to Georgina's premises. They found that cooking utensils used in preparing food for sale to the public were not washed, allowing houseflies and goats and sheep to feed from the utensils. The prosecutor requested the court to punish Georgina to serve as a deterrent to others. The magistrate said even if the utensils were for cooking for personal consumption it was an offence though the consequences would be less than when used to prepare food for pubic consumption. Mr Iliasu then ordered her to produce a health permit on the adjourned date, February 22. Source: GNA