Driver in court for jumping police barrier

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

Awome who pleaded guilty with explanation and not guilty to the two charges respectively had the first charge overturned to not guilty after listening to his explanation by the court.

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 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 Motor Traffic and Transport Unit on motor check duty at the outskirts of Kledzo, on the Hohoe-Accra road network at about 0830 hours on July 30.

He alleged that Awome who was driving at terrific speed fled and was later arrested at the Hohoe main lorry station and detained after he failed to produce a legitimate 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 that same day of arrest. Awome said after his release, the papers and documents covering the bus and 200 Ghana Cedis sales, he handed over to the police could not be traced.