Five GPRTU Overseers remanded for operating without licence

Sekondi, Jan.16, GNA- A Sekondi District Magistrate's Court on Friday remanded five persons in prison custody for allegedly operating as overseers of the Ghana Private Transport Union (GPRTU) without licence.

The five who pleaded not guilty would re-appear before the court on January 29.

They are Emmanuel Ackah, Joseph Mensah, Isaac Quayson, Joseph Appiah and Yaw Gbenyenefia.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Opoku Gyimah of the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Guard, said on January 14 this year, a combined team of the GPRTU, Metropolitan Task Force and the Motor Traffic Unit of the Ghana Police Service mounted an operation to enforce traffic regulations. He said at about 1345 hours, the accused persons were seen loading commercial vehicles on the main Takoradi-Accra road.

Inspector Gyimah said the accused persons could not produce their licence when questioned and were arrested.

In a related development, the court fined eight commercial drivers 500,000 cedis each or in default, three months imprisonment for picking passengers at unauthorised places at the Takoradi Central Business Area. The accused who pleaded guilty are Stephen Sackey, Kwesi Apaa, Kwesi Essoun, Bernard Abeka, Appiah Twum, Thomas Cudjoe, Baba Alhaji and Joseph Eshun.

Prosecuting, Inspector Gyimah of the Metropolitan Guard said they were arrested during an operation to check indiscriminate parking and picking of passengers in the Takoradi Central Business Area.