A Police Chief Inspector at the Legon Police Station, Inspector T. Arthur popularly known at the station as 'Chief' and a driver, Kweku Joseph have been embroiled in war of words over the seizure of the license of the driver.
The licence of the driver was seized by the chief inspector following an accident that occurred on April 11, 2015 involving a Taxi and a Tundra vehicle. And though, the matter had been settled, the driver is yet to have access to his license.
Narrating the incident to the DAILY HERITAGE, Mr Joseph said on April 11, 2015 at about 8:30pm, he hit the back of the Tundra with his i10 taxi around A&C Shopping Mall at East Legon.
He said, after the accident, his Taxi rather got damaged, but nothing happened to the Tundra. The Tundra driver asked him to go and repair his own car.
He said “My car is insured, so the following day, my car owner went to the insurance company to inform them about the accident, but they requested for police report before they can repair the car. So, we went to the police station to report, and the policeman asked us to bring the car. When I sent the car the following day, the police seized the car key and my license.”
Driver's frustration
“I was put at counter-back for eight hours, before my car owner sent someone to come and bail me. The bail charge was GH¢50.00. Days later after my bail, I saw the car in town and somebody was driving it, but I had still not received my license, so I got alarmed. When I called the car owner, he said, I should go to the police station for my license, but anytime I go the police man says I should bring my car owner.
“When I came with him, he and the police officer went to have a secret chat, and came back to tell me that I should see the police man for my license, but I still don't have access to it.”
Car owner's reaction
Mr. Kingsley Sarpong, the owner of the car confirmed to the paper the account as narrated by his driver and admitted he gave an i10 taxi (Dwadifo Adamfo) to the driver on a work-and-pay basis.
He said after he learnt of the accident by his driver, he was asked to bring police report before the insurance company could go ahead and repair the car.
According to him, after towing the car to the police station, he was asked to bring testing officers to test the car which he obliged and after the car was towed out for repairs.
He was quick to clarify that the car was still on repairs and had not be given out as pointed out by his driver.
Inspector Arthur's response
When contacted, Chief Inspector Arthur declined to explain why the vehicle in question was released to the car owner, but the driver's license was not released.
Asked whether the police have been to the accident scene to take measurements, he said, the driver should come later so they go and do that, almost a month after the accident had occurred.
The chief inspector later got infuriated and asked, “Why are you asking me all these questions? You are a small boy. Don't get me angry,” and walked out on the reporter, the driver and a relation of his.
A lawyer's perspective
A private legal practitioner at Kendicks Chambers in Takoradi, Ackaah-Gyasi in an interview with the paper said the police cannot process anyone before court when they have not been to the accident scene to conduct the necessary investigations.
<<Print>>