The Somanya Magistrate Court has convicted Francis Doku, a resident of Nkurakan, for selling expired food in the Yilo Krobo municipality of the Eastern region.

He was convicted to pay a fine of 60 penalty units equivalent to GH¢720.00 by the court, presided over by Derek Ocloo.

Doku pleaded guilty to the charges of selling expired food products contrary to Section 19 of the Yilo Krobo Assembly general sanitation bye-law, 2022.

Martin Abotsi, the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly Environmental Health officer, who briefed the Ghana News Agency, said on November 14, 2023, environmental health officers embarked on an expired product inspection at Nkurakan.

Upon inspection of the accused shop, he said it was detected that the accused had displayed some expired canned drinks products for sale for public consumption.

The items were confiscated and the accused was given the opportunity to provide an explanation for displaying expired canned drinks. However, he did not respond to the invitation.

He said that due to the accused person’s uncooperative behaviour, he was summoned to appear in court and subsequently convicted.

Abotsi noted that the sale of expired products for public consumption was a grave threat to public health, with a high likelihood of causing food poisoning.