Three out of seven persons have been granted bail for gathering at a drinking spot in Tamale despite the Coronavirus-induced ban on social gatherings.
According to the police, the seven persons were arrested at Sarafina Bar near the police headquarters in Tamale in the Northern Region for failing to comply with the restrictions imposed on public gatherings by operating and patronizing the bar.
The suspects, namely Baba sheriff Aloboba, 32; Adongo Ishmael,19; Mark Derrick Azure, 19; Sunday Okeke, 43; Lambongang Paroka, 20; Lardi Adongo, 41; and Benjamin Ayeebo, 32 were picked up on May 2.
They were then screened and four out of the seven were charged and were to appear before court on May 4, 2020.
However, only three appeared before the Tamale Circuit Court. The fourth person, Lardi Adongo, an expectant mother, failed to come till after the close of court.
The three, after the case hearing, were granted bail with two sureties. Lardi Adongo was however asked to appear before the court the following day.
The case has been adjourned to May 19, 2020.
Bar operation during lockdown
When the President announced the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi, he noted that only some essential service providers such as those involved in the production, distribution and marketing of food and beverages, media practitioners, and fuel station operators were exempted from the lockdown.
This sparked up a bit of confusion as to whether drinking spots and bars fell under the food chain operators category.
But the government clarified that drinking bars, night clubs, pubs, and other similar service providers must be closed.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kwasi Agyemang explained that even restaurants must operate only pick-up and delivery services.
Even though the partial lockdown has now been lifted, some of these bars and pubs are still closed since the ban on public gathering still holds.
