MTTU Boss ‘mad’

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu
The Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Angwubutoge Awuni says the police is becoming disillusioned as a result of what he terms “the increasing rate” at which the courts are acquitting and discharging drivers who are arraigned before the courts for flouting road traffic regulations.

“In fact, I must confess that we are becoming disillusioned and demoralized by the turn of events. The actions of the courts are emboldening these drivers to misbehave the more,” the MTTU boss said rather angrily.

He has therefore called on the judiciary to as he put it “do their part” in the effort to help bring sanity on the roads saying “we cannot continue to fight indiscipline and bring orderliness on our roads if we remain in this attitude.”

ACP Awuni was reacting to the acquittal and discharge of a one Nurudeen Gaisie, 21, who was arrested by the police for driving a cargo truck without license.

The vehicle with registration number GT387A, which was glaringly not fit to be driven due to its rickety nature, was intercepted by the police on the Graphic Road in Accra on December 2, 2010.

Gaisie was subsequently charged with four counts of use of motor vehicle in dangerous condition, use of vehicle with invalid road certificate, driving motor vehicle without driver’s license and under age person driving.

He pleaded guilty to all the counts and claimed that he was actually pushing the vehicle with his friends to a fitting shop for repairs.

Strangely, the Motor Court, presided over by Mrs. Maraim Sule Sinare acquitted and discharged him and asked Gaisie to go and repair the vehicle without verifying Gaisie’s claim from the police investigator.

ACP Awuni said “we are going to appeal against the decision because if we allow this, it will serve as a disincentive to our men who are enforcing road traffic regulations.”

“Can you imagine that Gaisie is 21 years old and is even precluded by law to drive such a vehicle? The judge did not even look at the fact that Gaisie was driving without license.”

“It is going to be bad for our country if we continue to treat cases the way we are doing. Criminal justice system lies in the hands of the judiciary, police and the prison officers and everybody is supposed to play their part to ensure that it becomes very effective.”