Head of traffic operations in the Sierra Leone Police has told Concord Times in an exclusive interview that a total number of 4,634 traffic offence cases were successfully charged to court in 2012.

Superintendent Michael Sovula said the commission of traffic offences has been on the increase both by motorists and motorbike riders; a development he said has subsequently led to several road accidents across the country.

Supt. Sovula noted that as a result of this, about two hundred and eighty (280) people have met their untimely death through fatal road accidents. He added that all the cases that were charged to court raised the sum of Le1 billion in fines.

However, while speaking to one of the drivers that ply the Freetown to Kabala route via Makeni, Mohamed Turay, he said most drivers are charged to court not for violating any traffic law but for failing to bribe police officers along the route. He said most drivers find it difficult to escape from police harassments.

In another development, a taxi driver, Alimamy Sesay, said traffic wardens have their errand boys who are responsible for meeting with drivers to demand for money. He urged stakeholders to help look into such concern.