Edo mobile court prosecutes 15 persons for street trading

By  Gabriel Enogholase
BENIN—NO fewer than 15 persons have been  prosecuted by the mobile court set up by the state government to try those who contravene its law on street trading.

They were yesterday in Benin arraigned before Oredo Magistrate Court 2 along Sapele road.
The offenders, who were arraigned before the court, were fined between N3,000 and N10, 000, depending on the nature of their offences.

Team leader of the task force in charge of street trading, Mr. Alohan Donald, listed markets where street trading has reduced drastically to include Uselu, Oliha and Ekiosa markets.

He accused some landlords who have converted their houses to markets of  making enforcement of the environmental law difficult.

However, he disclosed that landlords who have converted their premises for street trading have been given up to October 3, 2009, to desist from the act, as anyone caught will be made to face a mobile court and pay a fine of N200, 000 as stipulated by law.