You Can't Fine Motorists, Court Tells FRSC
A Federal High Court in Lagos has declared void the powers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to impose fines on motorists for traffic offences. Justice John Tsoho held that the FRSC could not turn itself into a court of law by punishing those who commit traffic offences. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a lawyer, Mr Tope Alabi, had approached the court to declare that only a court of competent jurisdiction could pronounce a person guilty under Section 10 (4) and 28 (2) of the FRSC Act 2007. Other defendant in the suit was the Attorney General of the Federation. A copy of the judgment made available to newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday quotes Tsoho as declaring the sections null and void for being inconsistent with Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution. The judge also awarded N1million damages in favour of the plaintiff because officials of the FRSC had confiscated his vehicle and driver’s licence. According to him, while FRSC was statutorily empowered to arrest ...