An Eket Magistrates’ Court in Akwa Ibom State today convicted 35 persons for violating the stay-at-home order by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that in his judgment, Chief Magistrate Macauley Eduok said each of the defaulters, who pleaded guilty, would pay a fine of N10,000.
He said that their vehicles would also be impounded at Eket Divisional Police Headquarters for two weeks or an alternative fine of N50,000.
Edouk said that he was optimistic that the judgement would serve as a deterrent to others not to violate the state government’s restriction order.
Earlier, the Chief Justice of Akwa Ibom, Justice Godwin Abraham, had on April 15 inaugurated special courts for the trial of offenders of quarantine and restriction of movement regulations.
The courts are available in the three senatorial districts, comprising Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Uyo areas of the state.
As at today, Akwa Ibom has nine cases of the coronavirus.