Teenage girl, two others escape prison as Nigeria jails 40 for hawking “pure water,” soft drinks
A Nigerian court has handed jail tenures to forty persons for hawking soft drinks and sachet water (otherwise known as “pure water”) in the country’s capital.
The “convicted” hawkers will each spend one week behind bars.
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), FCT Mobile Court, Thursday, handed out the sentences because the affected persons traded in prohibited areas within the capital city, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The presiding chief magistrate, Aminu Abdullahi sentenced the hawkers after they pleaded guilty to the charge.
“Having been found guilty of one offence, the convicts are hereby sentenced to one week imprisonment for trading in (the) prohibited areas of FCT.
“Each of the convicts is also given an option of fine between N1,000 and N5,000 for the offence,” Mr. Abdullahi said.
Mr. Abdullahi however discharged and acquitted three minors and warned them not to sell in prohibited areas in the FCT again.
The “convicts” committed the offence on November 12 and were arrested at different parts of Federal Capital Territory.
Prosecutor Eze Eze told the court that the offence contravened Sections 35 (1d) of AEPB Act 10 of 1997.
Benjamin Junadu, one of the convicts, told NAN that he was selling pure water at Jabi Park when he was arrested.
Mr. Junadu said he did not know that the area was prohibited for trading.
One of the minors, an SS1 student, told NAN that she was also selling soft drinks at Garki Area before she was arrested by the AEPB.
She said that “rather than stay idle at home I decided to engage in the sale of soft drinks to assist my parents.
“I promise I will not sell in such areas again.”
