No face mask: 70 convicted, Police to intensify stop & search operation – Police PRO

Some seventy(70) persons have been convicted by the court for failing to wear a face mask in compliance with the COVID-19 safety protocols, the Ghana Police Service has disclosed.

According to the police, some 237 were however acquitted by the court, while a bench warrant has been issued for two others who failed to appear in court.

Speaking on COVID-19 update at the meet the press event at the Information Ministry in Accra on Thursday, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Supt. Sheila Abayie Buckman stated that the police will soon intensify its stop and search operation in a bid to get the public to comply with the COVID-19 protocols.

“We’re going to have random stop and search on vehicles across the country. So you could be traveling from Tamale to Accra or Madina to Adenta, it could be a commercial vehicle most especially or it could a private vehicle for as long as we see two or more people on a vehicle any police officer in uniform can stop you, look at whether you’re wearing your mask properly if not you’ll be brought out of the vehicle. If the driver is wearing properly, the passengers too are wearing their masks properly they’ll be left to go. Until you find your mask and adorn it well you cannot board the next vehicle. So please let’s all get on board to preach the good news of wearing the mask so that we stop Coronavirus.”

Superintendent Sheila Abayie Buckman warned that repeat offenders will leave the police with no choice but to find a provision under the law to prosecute them.

Currently, Ghana’s Coronavirus active cases stand at 3,813 with 377 deaths.