Nigeria: Lagos Court Sends 30 Beggars to Kirikiri

 Determined to eradicate public alms begging in the state, the Special Offences Court sitting in the Alausa area of Ikeja, Lagos, has sent 30 beggars to Kirikiri and Badagry prisons for soliciting alms, and other offences.

The government, in its bid to let the beggars and sponsors know that it is longer going to be business as usual, charged them to court for constituting nuisance to the public by begging for alms.

The attorney-general of Lagos State, Mr. Ade Ipaye, who was the prosecutor in the case, slammed some count charges against the beggars which include conducting themselves as disorderly persons without visible means of livelihood and thus committed an offence under the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

They were also charged for conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace and for receiving, demanding and or collecting dues or unauthorised levy from persons and thus committed offence punishable under the law on illegal collection of dues in public places.

The beggars, 39 in number, pleaded guilty to the offences and were consequently sent to Kirikiri and Badagry prisons for one month pending when the final judgement would be meted out to them.

Someone who stole N42b and built 32 houses is home free while beggers are sent to prison? Issokay God is watching.