Rotten chicken dealer fined GHC1,680

Story: Kwadwo OWUSU ADUOMI

A trader, Hajarah Abiba and a cold store owner, Kwaku Asare have been fined 140 penalty units each by a Kumasi Magistrate Court for sanitation offences.

The two at their first appearance in court last Friday, pleaded not guilty to charges of three counts of offering, exposing, and having in possession and selling food unfit for human and animal consumption, depositing at public place for the purpose of consignment food unit for human and animal consumption and failure to furnish the medical officer of health of the KMA with a medical report.

The court presided over by His Worship Fred Obikyere thus granted the two traders who were caught for allegedly trading in contaminated frozen chicken a bail of GHC20,000 each with two sureties to be justified.

However, the suspects on their reappearance in court on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, changed their plea from not guilty to guilty, following which the judge passed a sentencing fine of GHC1,680 each.

The two in default of the fine imposed on them will serve a 12-month prison sentence.

The court also ordered the two to pay GHC1,000 each to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly(KMA), being the cost incurred for the destruction of their seized unwholesome chicken.

Kwadwo Asare, and Hajarah Abiba were arrested by police in the Ashanti Region for engaging in the trade of unwholesome frozen chicken.

Officers of the KMA  on Friday, September 3, 2021, reportedly caused the arrest of Madam Abiba after seizing some 15 cartons of unwholesome frozen chicken she was transporting through the Adakwame lorry Station at Mbrom.

The female suspect, following her arrest, led KMA Environmental Health officers to Kwadwo Asare as the individual who gave out the chicken to her.

The KMA say Madam Abiba had intended on smoking or roasting the unwholesome chicken for sale within Asuofua, Adakwame, and Kejetia.

The suspects according to the KMA were sent to the Ridge Police Station in Kumasi for further investigation and possible prosecution.

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