Court Sentences Teenagers, Others for Illegal Refuse Dump

Osun State Waste Management Agency has arraigned a 14 years old Hamzat Mutiu and 17 years old Azeez Opeyemi with other adults at the Osun state Magistrate court presided by Mr. Ayo Ayeni over Illegal refuse dump.

The teenagers have been sentenced to a month imprisonment in Ilesa prison custody for dumping wastes on the streets within the jurisdiction of the state of Osun.

The adults include: Shittu Dorcas ,30, Adepeju Adeshina ,23, Paulina Ona ,27, Damilola Juwonlola ,34, Ayeni Ridwan ,22, Funmilola Kasali ,25, Oluwaseun Oni ,27, Ajayi Janet ,31, Rufai Fatima ,38, Ayegbaji Rukayat ,60,.

Other adults include: Oyeyemi Monsurat ,26, Aishat Aderibigbe ,29, Jimoh Jelilat ,24, Akeem Salisu ,20, Fakunle Ibikunle ,19, Ajayi Janet ,26, Rusikatu Oyejola ,31, Amudat Aderibigbe ,36, Ayo Adeyemi ,20, Joshua Oniyade ,33, Oluwaseun Onibuki ,26, Fatima Rufai ,31, Risilatu  Ayegbinle ,24, Seun Ajayi ,37, Bisi Olodan ,45, Jimoh Jelilat ,23, and Sabo Akeem ,20.

The prosecutor, Mr Femi Ogunbamiwo told the court that the accused persons committed the offense on November 21, 2017 between 4:30am and 7:00am at different locations within the state capital.

He further disclosed that the accused persons were all caught in the act of dumping refuse illegally on the streets and were apprehended by the OWMA before they were brought to the court by the help of other security agencies.

He said the offence committed is contrary to section 101 of the Osun state Environmental Practice Agency (OSEPA) law 2002.

Although, the suspects were not represented by any counsel, two of them pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them while the others pleaded guilty.

However, the magistrate, Mr Ayo Ayeni rejected the plea of the two accused person describing them as liars and sought for the trial of all the suspects at once.

He then pronounced all the accused persons guilty and sentenced them to a month in prison with an option of fine in the sum of N10, 000 each.