Crime & Punishment of Sunday, 17 August 2008

Source: GNA

Driver before court for traffic offences

Hohoe, Aug. 17, GNA- A commercial driver, Richard Kwami Awome, has appeared before a Hohoe Magistrates' Court for failure to comply with traffic direction and driving without licence.

Awome who pleaded guilty with explanation and not guilty to the two charges respectively had the first charge overturned to not guilty after the court's hearing of his explanation.

Ms. Janet Awo Bakudie, presiding Judge entered plea of not guilty for the suspect after his explanation revealed a personal grudge on the side of the arresting Police Officer than a deliberate offence committed by Awome.

She therefore admitted Awome to a bail in the sum of 100 Ghana cedis, with a surety, to re-appear in court on August 26, this year. Prosecuting Police Inspector, Mr Emmanuel Kpodo told the court that Awome, then driving a Hyundai Grace with registration number GW 8638 Z ignored a signal to stop by a joint Volta Regional and Hohoe Divisional Police MTTU on motor check duty at the outskirts of Kledzo, on the Hohoe-Accra road network at about 0830 hours on July 30.

He said Awome, who was speeding fled and was later arrested at the Hohoe main lorry station and detained after he failed to produce a driving license.

Mr Kpodo said Awome was consequently processed for court. Awome explained that he was just checked by another team of Policemen at Golokwati and saw their action as over-burdening and a nuisance.

He said the Police, who threatened to "teach him a lesson" locked him up until he was granted bail at 1730 hours the same day of arrest. Awome said he could trace the documents covering the bus and 200 Ghana Cedis sales he had made after his release from Police cells.