Richard Quartey, a taxi driver, who drove recklessly and negligently knocked down two policemen at Kasoa has been slapped with a GH¢ 500 fine by the Agona Swedru Circuit Court.

Quartey could not pay the fine and has subsequently began serving a 57-month jail sentence handed him.

The presiding judge of the Court, Mr Yaw Atta Sampong, convicted Quartey on his own plea of guilty to seven counts of reckless driving, parking at an unauthorised place, causing road obstruction, failing to stop, negligently causing harm and failing to renew driver’s licence.

Quartey’s two victims were identified as Police Inspector Philip Mensah and Corporal Isaac Marfo whom he knocked down (in their attempt to arrest him) and sped off.

Police Inspector Isaac Amon informed the court that at about 7:20 am in January this year, Inspector Mensah of the Kasoa District Motor Traffic and Transport Union and Cpl Marfo were in charge of their men on motor check duties at the Obom Nyanyano roads, respectively.

He stated that when the policemen reached a section of the road at the Kasoa main traffic light facing the Accra direction, they spotted Quartey in a taxi parked at an unauthorised place and soliciting for passengers, thereby obstructing other road users.

“When Cpl Marfo attempted to arrest Quartey, he sped off recklessly with the Corporal lying on the bonnet of the cab.”

And when Inspector Mensah also signalled him to stop, Quartey knocked him down and drove to a distance around the Kasoa filling station where the cab screeched to a halt and Cpl Marfo fell down from the bonnet and sustained injuries.

The prosecutor said the officers were rushed to the Kasoa Health Centre for treatment as the driver failed to stop.

The prosecutor further stated that about 8:00pm on January 31, 2014, Quartey was spotted at Gomoa Budumbura taxi rank where he was nabbed.

It was during investigation that it was detected that Quartey had failed to renew his driver’s licence since December 21, 2011, and December 21, 2013, Inspector Amon added.