A Hohoe Magistrate Court has sentenced Paul Abu, a driver, to a fine of GH₵1,200 for building a house without a development permit.

Mr. Abu, who pleaded guilty was convicted on his own plea and would serve six months imprisonment if he defaults in the payment of the fine.

Mr. Frank Azila-Gbettor, Chief Environmental Health Assistant at the Hohoe Municipal Assembly, prosecuting, told the Court presided over by Mr. Peter Anongdare that the Assembly’s Development Control Taskforce on their routine rounds sited a project started by the convict behind Star Oil Fuelling Station, Gbi-Bla, without a development permit.

He said the convict was advised to stop work, demolish the structure, and to obtain a permit.

He said the convict was refused permit on April 12, 2019, on the basis that the Technical and Spatial Planning Committee of the Assembly had taken the decision not to approve any development permit in water-logged areas in the Municipality.

Mr. Azila-Gbettor said Abu refused to comply with the directives of the Committee to break down the structure but rather continued to work on it.

The Prosecutor said the task force on January 22, this year, visited the site to issue a final warning notice for the demolishing of the structure, which he failed to comply with.