Eight Sentenced to Community Service for Illegal Waste Dumping

An Ogun State Magistrate Court in Isabo, Abeokuta, has found eight people guilty of dumping waste carelessly in the Abeokuta area.

The Ogun State Waste Management Authority shared this news on Friday. The Medical Officer of Health, Kehinde Ogunsola, led the prosecution against the offenders on two charges.

Ogunsola explained to the court that, “The defendants were caught between 6:15 a.m. and 8:05 a.m. while dumping refuse on public roads at Isale-Igbein, Car-Wash and Abiola Way in the Abeokuta Magisterial District.”

He added that this act created bad smells and attracted flies, which can spread diseases like cholera. It also increases the chances of flooding and harms the environment.

He mentioned that these actions broke the Public Health Law of Ogun State from 2006 and Section 34(1) of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority Law from 2020.

While delivering the judgment, Justice A.K. Araba found all eight defendants guilty on both counts. They were ordered to do community service at the Isabo Magistrate Court.

The convicted individuals are Oyebanjo Abidemi (F), Aminat Adewusi (F), Aminat Olarewaju (F), Omolana Olusola (F), Abiola Moridiya (F), Olaogun Mary (F), Abiodun Aromokun (M), and Iwenya Sylvester (M).

The court also instructed that their photos should be put up on the court’s notice board while they perform their community service.

It warned that if any of them commit the same offense again, they would face jail time without the option of paying a fine.

After the judgment, Farouk A. Akintunde, the Special Adviser to the Governor and Managing Director of OGWAMA, praised the court for correctly interpreting the state’s waste management laws.

He said, “The ruling would strengthen ongoing efforts to curb indiscriminate waste disposal and its associated environmental and health risks across the state.”

Akintunde promised that OGWAMA would continue to step up enforcement actions. He warned people against dumping waste on roads and public areas.

He advised those still engaging in such activities to use approved waste management services or face legal action. He added that offenders would keep facing the law.

In May, the court sentenced 14 people to two weeks in jail, with an option to pay a fine, for similar waste dumping offenses in the state.

These offenders were charged with illegal waste disposal and actions that could endanger public health.