For driving dangerously on the Calabar – Itu Federal Highway and attempting to escape with a Federal Road safety Commission (FRSC) official, a truck driver, Mr Joshua Gabriel-39, was Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.
Magistrate Glory Udonna, said the driver contravene Section 21 of Federal Road safety Commission Act 2007, for driving dangerously on the federal high way.
The magistrate said that the driver would also pay N10, 000 fine to the owner of Jetta Saloon car with registration no. Cross River AE 393 BRA damaged in the course of his dangerous driving.
She added that Gabriel would pay another fine of N10, 000 for the repair of a motor cycle he damaged through his dangerous driving.
The driver who was flagged by road safety officials, who were on routine patrol with mobile court session at Mbak Itam in Itu Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom refused to stop.
Mrs. Cecilia Aloa, Sector Commander said the driver, dangerously drove his Mack Truck with registration No Lagos FK 562XH from Mbak Itam in Itu to Ikono Local Government Area before he was apprehended.
Alao said that the command had prosecuted 33 road traffic offenders in the mobile court session.
She explained that 32 of them were sentenced with options of fines while one who drove dangerously was sentenced to jail without any option of fine.
She said that the truck driver attempted to run away with one of the road safety operatives who flagged him to stop.
The Sector Commander said the exercise was done as part of the commission’s aim to actualise one of their strategic objectives to improve enforcement and improve public education.
“We want to make sure that people obey traffic regulations because it is only the living that celebrates.
“And that is why we are having this mobile court today, to apprehend the offenders and for them to be tried immediately.
“This is not a normal procedure where we give them tickets and they go to the bank to pay; this one is being presided over by a magistrate.
“Any offenders we are going we apprehend today will be tried according to the rule of law.
“So far we have 33 offenders that have been apprehended today and they have been prosecuted in the magistrate court.
“We have 10 trucks, but one of the 10 trucks is likely to go to jail today.
“Why I am saying this is because instead of the truck driver to stop when he was flagged down, he attempted to run away with one of our operatives,” Alao said.
Speaking to the convict, (Gabriel) said the mistake had already been done, adding that he did not know what happened to him.
He said, “I don’t have much to say but the mistake had been made; they have taken their decision.
“In life there is something that will happen and you do not know what cause it.
“Something that happened now, I don’t know what caused it.
“Since I have been plying this road, I have been a good user of this road, but I was just coming from burial yesterday I do not know what is the real cause.
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