Judge condemns behaviour of drivers against police

Tema, March 16, GNA -- A Circuit Court judge has expressed concern about the behaviour of some commercial drivers against police who check drivers against bad practices such as discharging and picking passengers at unauthorised places.

Mr Stephen Teye, the presiding judge of Tema Circuit Court "B" noted that policemen who arrest such drivers in the municipality have it tough to send them to the police station.

The Judge, who made these remarks when sentencing Charles Anekpor, a driver to a two million cedi fine when he pleaded guilty to six counts of motor offences including stopping at unauthorised place to pick up and discharge passengers and causing obstruction to other road users. Anekpor will go to jail for nine months if he failed to pay the fine. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Edith Nutakor told the court that on March 12, 2004, at about 12:30 p.m. Ashaiman police, while on duty on Ashaiman road, Anekpor who was driving a KIA mini bus with registration number GT 6052 R parked in the middle of the road to allow passengers to alight and pick some of them.

She said when police challenged the accused and invited him to the police station, he moved the vehicle with the policeman hanging dangerously and nearly fell down in the process.

The action and behaviour of the driver posed great danger to the policeman and other road users and when he was later arrested it was realised that he was not in possession of a driving licence, she said.