A UK-based Ghanaian food operator, Stephen Akuoko, has been sentenced to two years in prison after authorities uncovered serious breaches of food hygiene regulations, including storing fish in a washroom.
Akuoko, 62, was also banned from running any food business for five years and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs following the ruling. His sentencing comes after an investigation revealed unsafe and unsanitary practices linked to his ready-meal supply operation.
The court heard that Akuoko had been supplying food products to supermarkets and local shops while operating from his flat in Watford, Hertfordshire, under the name Tribal Foods. However, environmental health officers had difficulty gaining access to inspect the premises during the course of their investigation.
The situation came to light in October 2024 when firefighters responded to a blaze at his residence on Haines Way. The fire reportedly started after a wok he was using caught fire. During their response, emergency personnel discovered large quantities of fish stored in highly inappropriate conditions, including inside the washroom—both in the bathtub and on the floor near the toilet.
Subsequent inspections confirmed multiple food safety violations, raising concerns about public health risks associated with the products he had been distributing.
Akuoko later pleaded guilty to two food safety offences at St Albans Magistrates’ Court in February 2026. He was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on April 2, 2026.
In delivering judgment, the presiding judge criticized the conditions under which the food was handled, describing them as unacceptable and dangerous. The court noted that the scale of Akuoko’s operation had outgrown his capacity to manage it safely, leading to practices that posed a significant risk to consumers.
Authorities said the prosecution was necessary due to the severity of the violations, Akuoko’s lack of cooperation during the investigation, and the potential consequences of contaminated food entering the public supply chain.
The case serves as a warning to food operators about the importance of adhering strictly to hygiene regulations to protect public health.
