MONROVIA – Traffic Court Judge Karsor Zubah has subpoenaed the Minister of Transport Samuel Wlue and the Inspector General of Police, Col. Patrick Sudue, to testify to a traffic violation ticket being issued to drivers which are different from the uniform violation ticket passed by law to be issued to drivers in times of traffic violation.
They are to appear before the court on Monday at 1:00 PM.
The contested ticket which has been identified by the court as being different from the approved ticket bears the emblems of the Liberia National Police and the Ministry of Transport.
The summon, according to the judge, is predicated upon several complaints from licensed drivers whose vehicles are being towed by an unknown company issuing them the traffic violation ticket which bears the insignia of both the LNP and the MOT and charging them exorbitant amounts of money before their vehicles are released to them. The amounts are to be paid in an unknown account, instead of the Government of Liberia Consolidated Revenue Account.
An investigation conducted by FrontPageAfrica established that majority of the drivers who complained were issued the purported traffic violation notice by the tow
o truck company rather than the uniform traffic ticket which payments are made with the Liberia Revenue Authority.
The aggrieved vehicle owners also alleged that their vehicles are immediately towed by an unknown tow truck company upon any alleged violation of traffic rules. They are then issued the purported ticket to make a payment of up to US$100 to an unknown account before their vehicles are released to them.
It is not clear who is behind the new tickets, but most drivers whose vehicles have been impounded after the issuance of this ticket said they were given a police operational number, 0770800941, which has been established to belong to an officer identified as Dream Walker. He is said to be heading the operation.
In cases involving the regular uniform traffic ticket from the LNP, alleged violators have the right to challenge the ticket before the traffic court where in some instances, fines are readjusted, maintained, or scrabbed by the court.