Woman arrested for failing to display sign reading ‘alcohol not for sale for persons under 18’ at her liquor store

A liquor store owner at Mombasa in Kenya, has been arrested for failing to display a sign board indicating that alcohol is not sold to persons aged below 18 years at her liquor store.

Betty Makena who operates a wine and spirit shop, appeared before Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo and pleaded guilty to the charges. 

The charge sheet read “On July 25 this year at about 22.46 hours at Betiz Wines and Spirit in the Black Devil area of Jomvu sub-county within Mombasa being the owner of the said liquor store she failed to display a prescribed warning sign informing members of the public that sale of the available alcoholic drinks for persons below the age of 18 years was prohibited by law.”

Makena was further charged with a second count of selling alcoholic drinks without a liquor license contrary to section 7(1)b as read with section 62 of the alcoholic drinks control Act number 4 of 2010.

The magistrate ordered her to pay a fine of Ksh25,000 or serve a three-month jail term. She was given 14 days to appeal her sentence.