A mobile court sitting in Calabar on Wednesday convicted 34 motorists for various traffic offences, including attempts to bribe operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Presided over by Magistrate Abigail Asuquo, the offenders were arraigned by FRSC prosecutor Mr. Presley Orhue. Delivering judgment, the magistrate said all the drivers had pleaded guilty to the charges and were given the option of paying fines or serving time in prison.
“For attempting to corrupt FRSC marshals on duty, each offender must pay a fine of ₦10,000 or face one week in prison,” Magistrate Asuquo ruled.
Offenders caught for overloading or driving without a valid licence also received fines of ₦10,000 each, while failure to use seat belts and lack of speed limiting devices attracted fines of ₦2,000 and ₦3,000 respectively.
Speaking after the court session, the FRSC Sector Commander in Cross River State, Innocent Etuk, condemned attempts by motorists to offer bribes to traffic officials, stating that the agency maintains a zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
He stressed that the FRSC will continue to prosecute motorists who attempt to compromise the integrity of its personnel while on duty.
“We are committed to upholding discipline and reducing road traffic injuries and fatalities by 10 per cent in line with our 2025 strategic goals,” Etuk said.
He urged drivers to obey traffic regulations, warning that violations such as bribery, overloading, non-use of seat belts, and distracted driving are major contributors to road accidents.
The mobile court was established following the approval of an application submitted by the FRSC to the Chief Judge of Cross River State, in line with Section 10(8) of the FRSC Establishment Act of 2007. The initiative aims to ensure speedy trial and deterrence for traffic-related offences in the state.
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