A Karmo Grade I Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday sentenced eight Abuja unpainted taxi drivers to three months in prison each for using unpainted taxis and obstructing traffic.

Inuwa Maiwada, sentenced Peter Ani,40; Anyebe Sunday,37; Chidi Npuzu,32; Obinna Wande, Mathew Ugwu 22; Nnamdi Ndubisi 41, Evis Monko 38, and Edward Joseph, 36, after they pleaded guilty to the charge.

Maiwada sentenced the convicts on six counts contrary to sections 43, 6(f) , 7 (1), 56, 39(3), and 17(1) of the Road Traffic Regulations, of Nigeria.

ALSO READ:SERAP demands immediate withdrawal of NASS repressive media accreditation guidelines

The judge, however, gave the convicts an option to pay N2,000 fine each.

“In default of the payment, the convicts will serve three months in prison,’’ the judge added.

Maiwada warned the convicts to desist from committing crime and to be good citizen after serving his punishment.

The prosecutor,Ijeoma Ukagha, had told the court that the convicts were arrested by traffic officers attached to Karmo Police Station.

Ukagha said the incident occurred along Karmo road on the same date.

She explained that the convicts willfully drove their unpainted taxi, pinking and dropping passenger in an unauthorized place and hindered the free flow of traffic.

Ijeoma added that the convicts drove their unpainted taxi without licence and vehicle particulars.