Over 70 people arraigned for violation of restriction order in Rivers

Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

Two magistrate courts sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital have sanctioned over 70 persons for violating Governor Nyesom Wike’s sit-at-home and border restriction orders in the state.

The suspected Northern indigenes were reportedly loaded in several heavy duty trucks heading for Zamfara state were arrested by members of the state task force on border restrictions.

They were arrested on May 1, 2020 and charged with one count charge bordering on violation of the Governor’s extant law on border restriction.

They pleaded guilty to the charge and were given different amount of fines depending on their roles in the offence.

While the drivers of the vehicles and their conductors were given fines ranging from N10, 000 and N30, 000, depending on the trial magistrate, the passengers were fined between N2000 and N5000 each.

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On interrogations, the drivers of the trucks explained that they came to supply food stuff to the state last week and on their way back, the passengers indicated interest to leave the state following the harsh effect of the novel COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures of the state government, which they said affected the jobs they are surviving with in the state.

They through their legal representation in the court appealed to the court to make an order to allow them to leave the state, adding that it would be better for them to go to their states.

The courts ordered that the charges must be paid before they could be allowed to regain their freedom, however mute on the request by the suspects to be allowed to go back to their states.

On their impounded trucks, the court explained that the governor’s extant order provides that they be forfeited to the state government together with the content unless otherwise by the discretion order of the court.

Following the caveat, Chief Magistrate, Ihua Madu-Enyi ordered that the sum of N250, 000 be paid before the vehicle should be released, while another court ordered that a fresh application be filed for the release of the second truck.