A Hohoe Magistrate Court has fined a barber, Ekpane Seyram, GH¢600 for collecting and dumping refuse into a public drain at Konuvie in the Hohoe Municipality.
Seyram pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced on his own plea. The court, presided over by relieving magistrate Lambert Y. Keriba, ruled that he would serve two months in prison if he failed to pay the fine.
According to the prosecution, Seyram was caught dumping rubbish into the drain around the Konuvie Plaza area at about 8 p.m. on July 27, 2026.
The incident was reportedly captured on video and later shared on Facebook, bringing it to the attention of the Municipal Chief Executive and the Environmental Health Office.
Environmental Health Analyst Daniel Dotse Eklo, who prosecuted the case, told the court that officials from the Environmental Health Unit, working with the Municipal Chief Executive, launched an investigation following the incident.
Seyram was subsequently traced and apprehended on July 29, where he admitted responsibility for the offence.
During interrogation, he explained that he had collected the refuse from around a drinking bar where he had been staying in the Konuvie area and subsequently dumped it into the public drain.
The prosecution said the Hohoe Municipal Assembly had provided skip containers at various locations within the municipality to facilitate the proper disposal of refuse.
Mr Eklo described the barber's action as harmful to the environment, warning that indiscriminate dumping into drains could contribute to flooding and outbreaks of disease.
The court's decision comes amid continued efforts by local authorities to curb indiscriminate waste disposal and promote proper sanitation practices in the municipality.
