By Sarah NEGEDU
A Magistrate Court in Wuse, Abuja, has convicted a 26-year-old motorist, Atada Victor, for dangerous driving, assaulting a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) marshal and other traffic offences committed during an enforcement operation in the Federal Capital Territory.
The court, sitting in the Wuse Judicial Division, ordered the convict to perform two weeks of community service and pay a total of N1.08 million as compensation for damage to an FRSC patrol vehicle and the medical treatment of an injured officer.
The incident occurred at about 8:30 a.m. during a routine traffic enforcement operation when Victor, who was driving a vehicle with registration number RBC 398 DQ, allegedly refused to stop after being flagged down by an FRSC patrol team for a traffic violation.
According to the Corps, Victor accelerated, knocked down the arresting marshal and rammed into the patrol vehicle while attempting to evade arrest.
The injured marshal sustained serious injuries to the head, eye and other parts of the body and was taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he is receiving treatment, while the patrol vehicle was extensively damaged.
Following investigation and prosecution, the court found Victor guilty of dangerous driving, driver’s licence violation and assaulting an FRSC marshal in the lawful discharge of his duties.
Apart from the two-week community service, the court ordered him to pay N580,000 to the FRSC FCT Sector Command to repair the damaged patrol vehicle and another N500,000 to cover the medical expenses of the injured marshal.
Reacting to the judgment, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, described the conviction as a clear demonstration that attacks on FRSC personnel and attempts to obstruct lawful enforcement operations will attract swift and appropriate legal consequences.
He stressed that road traffic laws exist to safeguard all road users and urged motorists to always cooperate with FRSC personnel by obeying traffic regulations and complying with lawful directives during patrol and enforcement operations.
