Mobile Court Convicted 146 Indiscipline Motorists in August 2022
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In a very rare feat in which a total of146 persons accused of violating various traffic regulations were presented opportunity before the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Mobile Court to defend themselves and be off the hook, not one of the accused could be acquitted and discharged as all of them were found guilty as charged.
Hence, the General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr Bolaji Oreagba, condemned the height of obstinacy exhibited by some motorists who so often and willfully expressed disdain for road safety regulations in the way they operate their vehicles on the road.
Oreagba lamented thus, “It is disheartening that despite the State government’s vigorous public enlightenment and advocacy campaigns via various media outlets, including online sensitization on the dangers inherent in disobeying traffic rules and regulations, some recalcitrant drivers are still endangering the safety of other road users on Lagos Roads”, Oreagba stated.
A media statement by the Director of Public Affairs, Mr Taofiq Adebayo put the statistics of the traffic infraction and culprits as follows;
Those charged for driving against the traffic (one-way driving) and found guilty- 77, reckless and dangerous driving- 10, willful obstruction of public roadway- 5, parking at unauthorized places- 5, operating commercial service with an unpainted vehicle- 2, wrongful and dangerous overtaking- 5, driving on walkways/kerbs- 4, constituting obstruction on BRT lane- 6, picking/dropping passengers at undesignated bus stops- 4, disobeying traffic control officers on duty- 5, to mention but a few.
The media statement said that “all those arraigned by the Agency before the Lagos Mobile Court were found guilty as charged after strong pictorial and video evidence tendered by LASTMA’s prosecution team”.
Bolaji Oreagba reminded all road users including commercial bus drivers, to always drive with caution, particularly during these “Ember Months”, and added that LASTMA will continue to strengthen its monitoring and enforcement team to apprehend Traffic Law violators.
Also speaking, the Director, Legal Department of LASTMA, barrister Akerele Kehinde Oseni, maintained that the prosecution of the arrested owners/drivers of the 146 vehicles for various traffic violations will serve as a deterrent to other recalcitrant road users.
Akerele, however, informed that the 146 impounded vehicles were later released to their respective owners after the verifications of receipts of their fine payment and other relevant documents.
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