70 persons convicted over coronavirus protocol breach - Police

Police secured conviction of 70 people over breach of coronavirus protocols between April last year and mid January following their enforcement activities relating to coronavirus rules.

Supt Sheila Abayie-Buckman, Director of the Police Public Relations Unit disclosed the figure during a Ministry of Information press briefing held to update the public over government's coronavirus response.

According to her the statistics were in respect of the period spanning April 2020 till January 17, 2021 when president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave express instructions on public mask wearing and other enforcement measures.

“222 cases (were recorded) involving 1,584 people had been arrested. Restrictions were not only on masks but on other things,” she clarified.

“453 persons were sent to court and then 237 of them were acquitted, 144 were granted bail by court and 70 were convicted to serve various punishments including fines and two on bench warrant,” she added.

The police was also in the process of starting stop and search operations relative to mask wearing. Any person without a mask in a car – private or public – will be asked to disembark and allowed to continue their journey after they have gotten a mask.

The enforcement of mask wearing was a topical issue in president Akufo-Addo’s January 17 address. The police have been tasked to ensure compliance especially relative to wearing of masks.

“I have instructed the Inspector General of Police to direct officers, men and women of the Police Service to ensure the rigorous enforcement of the law on mask wearing at all public places and in public transport.

“They are also to ensure the closure of all night clubs, pubs, cinemas and beaches that may be operating in defiance of the law. They will be assisted by the other security agencies, if need be,” the president emphasized.