Techiman (B/A) Nov. 29, GNA - A Techiman Circuit court has fined seven drivers 12.6 million cedis for various traffic offences. In default they would serve imprisonment from a month to six months in hard labour.

The drivers pleaded guilty to failing to produce driving licence, over-speeding and over-loading, failing to produce insurance and roadworthiness certificates.

Isaac Baafi and Mohammed Abdulai were each fined three million cedis or in default serve four months imprisonment each, Yaw Oppong and Ati Kwadwo, were each fined two million cedis or in default serve two months imprisonment each, Kofi Badu and Samuel Amoah fined one million cedis each or in default each would serve two months imprisonment. Kwabena Owusu was fined 600,000 cedis or in default serve one month in prison.

Police Chief Inspector John Badu of the Accident Squad of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) at Techiman told the court that there had been routine checks on drivers within the Municipality to reduce the spate of accidents and arrest drivers without the required documents. He said on November 23, this year, a combined team of police from the Brong Ahafo Regional MTTU, Techiman Municipality and representatives from the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr. Dapaah arrested the drivers.

The presiding judge, Mr. Godwin A. Kwasikuma said the court would no longer tolerate drivers who refused to renew their licences. He regretted that drivers had constantly been briefed and educated about traffic regulations and the implications in violating them and warned that the court would deal drastically with any driver for committing traffic offence.