Hohoe, Volta Region β The Hohoe Magistrate Court has convicted a 31-year-old pub owner and her 19-year-old shop attendant for selling expired drinks and operating under insanitary conditions.
The two, Christabel Afornorfe, owner of Christabel Pub and Bar Ltd, and her employee, Theodora Kornu, pleaded guilty to the charges and were convicted on their own pleas.
Afornorfe was fined GHΒ’600 by the court, presided over by relieving judge Lambert Y. Keriba. She will serve one month in prison if she fails to pay the fine.
Kornu, meanwhile, was ordered to sign a three-year bond to be of good behaviour.
Sanitary inspectors discovered violations
According to the prosecution, sanitary inspectors conducted a routine inspection at the business premises on July 14, 2026.
During the inspection, officials discovered that expired drinks were being sold to customers. They also found refuse dumped behind the business premises and observed that food was being sold under insanitary conditions.
The prosecution further told the court that the pub and bar was operating without the required medical certificates of fitness.
The Environmental Health Analyst, Daniel Dotse Eklo, said the two were educated on the sanitary breaches and served with abatement notices requiring them to correct the problems.
They were also directed to report to the Environmental Health Office to undergo medical screening.
Follow-up inspection
A follow-up inspection conducted on July 22 found that the directives had not been complied with.
The expired products were subsequently confiscated and retained as evidence.
Mr. Eklo told the court that the conduct posed a serious threat to public health, particularly to unsuspecting customers who could consume expired products or food prepared and sold under unhygienic conditions.
He warned that such practices could contribute to food poisoning and outbreaks of foodborne diseases, including cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and Hepatitis A.
The case highlights the importance of maintaining proper hygiene standards and ensuring that food and drink businesses comply with public health and environmental regulations.
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