Court calls for stiffer punishment for traffic offences

Nyinahin (Ash), Nov 4, GNA- A circuit court judge has called for a review of sentence for motor traffic offences to make it serve as a deterrent.

Mr Beresford Sarfo Acquah said the " punishment imposed on drivers was light" and that it accounted for the increasing incidence of careless driving on the country's roads.

The judge said this when he sentenced Fredrick Donkor, a 28-year-old driver to a fine of 200,000 cedis for carrying extra passengers at the Nyinahin on Wednesday.

Donkor was said to have carried 42 passengers instead of 23 passengers. He pleaded guilty to the charge and will serve one month in prison in default.

The accused however, pleaded not guilty to a second count of failing to produce his driving licence and also failing to provide proper seating accommodation.

Police Inspector Raphael Dan-Mensah told the court that on October 15, this year, policemen on duty on the Kumasi-Bibiani road intercepted Donkor's vehicle and found that he was carrying 42 passengers instead of 23.

The prosecution said the driver was therefore arrested.