COURT FINES MAN AND SON GH₵ 4,400.00 FOR FORCEFULLY REMOVING AND DESTROYING NEIGBOUR’S SEWAGE PIPE LEADING TO THE SPLASH OF FAECAL MATTER IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA
The Ho Magistrate Court has convicted and thus fined a man and his son for forcefully removing and destroying a neighbour’s sewage pipe at Ho on Tuesday 16th April 2024.
The duo; John Avenorgbor (father) and Kofi Avenorgbor (son) who originally pleaded not guilty reconsidered their position and pleaded guilty when his lordship H/Walbert Owusu Annor (Esq.) entered the matter.
Presenting the facts of the case, Mr. Selorm Kwaku-Agbesi, an Environmental Health Officer, prosecuting for the Republic explained that John Avenorgbor consented and authorised his son Kofi Avenorgbor to forcefully remove and thus destroy a neighbour’s sewage pipe leading to a splash of faecal matter in a residential area, consequently endangering the lives of indigenes and creating a public nuisance, regarding Section 54, sub-section (a), (i) – (iii) and (c) of the Public Health Act of 2012 (Act 851).
Upon interrogations by the Municipal Environmental Health Officer; Lawrence Senya, the accused person (John Avenorgbor) confessed that he consented and authorized his son Kofi Avenorgbor who came visiting over the weekend to forcefully remove and destroy a newly installed sewage pipe he acknowledged was not theirs. Their excuse for such noxious conduct was that they perceived the portion of the sewage pipe laid attached to the neighbour’s wall must be falling in their land, since their neighbour built on their land boundary.
The MEHO therefore explained to John Avenorgbor that he and his son’s conduct was illegal and amounted to noxious trade, and put the whole community at risk since flies could pick germs and other contaminants from the faecal matter and reach anywhere with it, in addition to the fact that they destroyed someone’s property. He (MEHO) therefore instructed the accused persons to fix the pipe within 24 hours to ensure there are no further splashes of faeces in the community.
However, even after 48 hours, the duo refused to reinstall the sewage pipe, therefore the MEHO instructed, the engagement of a Plumber to re-fix the sewage pipe and to ensure Public Health and Safety due to the nature of the offence.
Upon an extensive interrogation by his lordship H/Walbert Owusu Annor (Esq.), the accused persons were sentenced on their (own) plea of “guilty with explanation”. They are to pay Ghc 1000.00 each for the damage caused to the Environmental Health Office and pay 100 penalty units each, in default face 6 months in prison.
The Environmental Health and Sanitation office advises all to honour their civic health and sanitation obligations and never take the laws of the Republic for granted.