Man, 45, Sentenced To 30 Days Imprisonment For Not Wearing Facemask In Osun

By Nafisat Arogundade, Osogbo

A 45-year-old man, Jonathan Ukonwe has been sentenced to 30 days imprisonment on Wednesday for not wearing a face mask and resisting arrest.

CityMirrorNews recalls that the state government under leadership of Governor Gboyega Oyetola had mandated all residents in the state to always wear their facemasks and maintain social distancing as party of efforts to curb the spread of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the whole world.

Ukonwe was arraigned before an Osun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Osogbo on three counts bordering on resisting arrest, deliberate refusal to wear nose mask and assault.

The convict pleaded guilty to two counts while he pleaded not guilty to the offence of assault of one Meshack Funmilola of Hunters Group of Nigeria currently working for Amotekun Corps.

The Magistrate, Mr Opeyemi Badmus convicted and sentenced Ukonwe to 30 days imprisonment on the two counts or pay N15,000 fine.

However, he admitted him to bail on the third count of assault with the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Earlier, The police prosecutor, Mr Abiodun Fagboyinbo, told the court that he committed the offence on 1 July 2020 at about 10:30 AM at Olaiya Junction Area, Osogbo.

He said the convict intentionally resisted arrest after he disobeyed the constituted authority. He deliberately refused to wear facemask in the public thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 203 and 249(D) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.ll Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

He also alleged that did assault one Meshack Funmilola F of Hunters Group of Nigeria by beating her up while performing her lawful duty on the enforcement of the use of facemask and thereby committed an offence contrary to (2 ) and punishable under section 3 56 (2) of Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2020.