Mobile court convicts 34 motorists for attempting to bribe FRSC officers

A mobile court sitting in Calabar on Wednesday convicted 34 motorists for attempting to bribe officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Magistrate Abigail Asuquo, who presided over the session, delivered the judgment after the traffic offenders were arraigned by FRSC prosecuting officer, Presley Orhue. The convicted individuals pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to offer bribes to on-duty marshals.

In her ruling, Magistrate Asuquo stated: “Having heard the pleas of the defendants, who admitted guilt, they are hereby sentenced to either one week in prison or a fine of ₦10,000 each, in accordance with the penalty for attempting to corrupt FRSC officers.”

Additional fines were handed out for other traffic violations, including ₦10,000 for overloading and driving without a valid licence, ₦2,000 for failure to use seat belts, and ₦3,000 for vehicles without functional speed-limiting devices.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the court proceedings, FRSC Sector Commander in Cross River State, Innocent Etuk, condemned the rising trend of motorists attempting to bribe operatives on patrol.

“The FRSC maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy on corruption. Any motorist caught attempting to bribe our officials will be prosecuted accordingly,” he warned.

Etuk emphasized that the Corps is fully committed to reducing road traffic injuries and fatalities by at least 10 per cent by 2025, in line with its corporate strategic goals.

“We urge all road users to comply with traffic regulations, including avoiding bribery, overloading, use of phones while driving, and non-use of seat belts, all of which pose serious threats to lives and property,” he said.

The mobile court was established following an application by the FRSC to the Chief Judge of Cross River State, invoking Section 10(8) of the FRSC Establishment Act, 2007. The court was approved to ensure speedy prosecution of traffic offenders across the state.