Twelve persons on Tuesday appeared before a Takoradi District Magistrate's court for allegedly failing to paint their buildings in contravention of the byelaws of the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly (SAEMA). Eight of the accused persons were discharged because they painted their buildings soon after receiving the court summons. The remaining four accused persons pleaded with the court to give them one week to paint their buildings. The court issued a bench warrant for the arrest of four others who failed to appear in court on the same charge. They include Owusu Ankomah, elder brother of Papa Owusu Ankomah, Member of Parliament for Sekondi, and Kofi Mensah, Managing Director of 06 Lotteries. The case of the prosecution was that in November last year, SAEMA directed landlords to paint their buildings before the end of the year but the accused failed to comply.Source: GNA