Daily Trust (Abuja)
Usman A. Bello and Romoke W. Ahmad
9 July 2009
Abuja — A mobile court sitting at Wuse II, Abuja Wednesday convicted 52 motorists for various traffic offences.
The motorists were sentenced to two weeks imprisonment or asked to pay fines of between N2,000 and N15,000, depending on the number of offences preferred against them.
Those convicted were accused of committing offences contrary to the Road Traffic Act that range from seat belt violations, driving with worn out tyres, over speeding, dangerous driving, driving without fire extinguishers and caution signs.
Other offences committed were traffic obstruction, using unauthorised number plates, driving without number plates, route violations, driving with expired and fake driver's license.
Three of those convicted had their vehicles impounded at the FRSC office and were instructed to attend the commission's public enlightenment lectures for one week.
When the charges were read out to the violators, they all pleaded guilty and Prosecutor Rems Umeh urged the court to try them summarily.
Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna ordered that their vehicles be impounded by the FRSC until they pay the stipulated fines.
The magistrate also stated that the court will not look at faces in sanitising the roads and warned that severe punishments will be melted on those that flout the law again.
He called on the FRSC to educate the public on how to acquire genuine driver's licences.
After the ruling, a FRSC official accused one of the motorists of abducting a marshal from Wuse to Gwarinpa, after he was arrested for traffic violation.
Also speaking, FCT FRSC Head of Operation, Sunday Oghenekaro, lamented that most passengers are still not aware of the implications of not using seat belts while driving.
He said the commission will use the activities of the mobile court to create awareness on traffic reality, especially during raining season and further warned motorists to desist from making or receiving calls while driving.
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