By CHRISTIAN NJOKU

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

The judgement was given by Magistrate Abigail Asuquo who presided over the hearings, after the offenders were arraigned before the court by the prosecuting officer of the FRSC, Mr Presley Orhue.

Pronouncing judgement on the bribery offenders, Asuquo said “having listened to the plea of the offenders wherein they pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them before this court by the FRSC, they have an option of going to prison for a week or paying the fine of N10,000 each.

“This is the stipulated fine for attempting to corrupt Marshals on duty.”

Those apprehended for overloading or driving without driver’s licence were also fined N10, 000 each, while seat belt violation and speed limiting device attracted N2,000 and N3,000 fine respectively.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the proceedings, the state Sector Commander of the corps, Innocent Etuk, frowned at attempts by motorists to corrupt the operatives, adding that the FRSC had zero tolerance for corruption.

Etuk said that the corps remained committed to sending as many motorists who would attempt to corrupt its operatives while on duty to jail in Cross River.

He enjoined road users to obey traffic rules to enable the FRSC achieve one of its 2025 corporate strategic goals of 10 per cent reduction in road traffic fatality and injury through focused interventions.

“Henceforth, drivers must desist from attempting to corrupt patrol operatives, overloading of vehicles, refusal to use seat belts, use of phones while driving among other vices capable of causing destruction of lives and properties on public roads,” he noted.

NAN reports that the command had earlier made an application to the Chief Judge of the state for the establishment of a special or mobile court, for the purpose of speedy trial of traffic offenders.

This was in pursuant to section 10(8) of the FRSC Establishment Act 2007; the application was granted by the Chief Judge of Cross River necessitating the setting up of the mobile court. (NAN)