Bolgatanga (Upper East) - A thirty-five-year-old motorist who was arraigned at a Bolgatanga Circuit Court for committing a number of motor traffic offences, got lucky and had some of the fines against him dropped because the day for his trial coincided with the birthday of the presiding judge. The accused, Awini Atiah, was charged on three counts of riding an unauthorised motor cycle, non-possession of a valid road-worthy certificate and riding without a licence.
Each of the counts attracted a fine of 100,000 cedis or in default six months imprisonment with hard labour.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Reynolds Karikari Ampem of the Bolgatanga Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) said on 1 February at about 2000 hours, some MTTU officers on night duty accosted the accused to produce his licence and road-worthy certificate. When Atiah could not produce those documents, the Motor Cycle was impounded and he, Atiah, was arraigned before court.
Mr Ampem added that further interrogation revealed that the accused was not authorised to use the motor cycle with registration number GT 8786 F. Pronouncing the verdict, the presiding judge A. S. Kuoro warned motorists not to use motorcycles when they do not meet laid-down traffic regulations. He added that the accused was lucky because the day of the trial, Thursday 3 February was his birthday. As such he was dropping the fines on two counts and asked the accused to pay only 100,000 cedis. In effect the sentence was to run concurrently.
