Ekiti goes tough on environmental violators, 4 arraigned

Ekiti State Government has intensified its fight against environmental indiscipline as violators are being arrested and prosecuted in court.

Four persons were on Wednesday arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged unlawful disposal of waste.

The defendants: Fausat Babalola, 48, Mustapha Basiriyu, 29, Jinadu Abubakar, 18, and Kolawole Deborah, 30, are being charged with unlawful waste disposal.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Prosecutor, ASP Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence at about 8.00a.m on March 24, in Ado-Ekiti.

Oriyomi stated that the defendants unlawfully dumped their waste, and in a manner that posed danger to the environment.

He said that the offence contravened Section 30(1)(2) of the Ekiti State Waste Management Authority Law, 2020.

The prosecutor prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him to study the file and assemble witnesses.

The team of defence counsel, urged the court to grant the defendants bail, with a promise that they would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N50,000, with one surety each in like sum, and adjourned the case until April 28 for hearing.