A middle-aged driver of a lorry simply known as Johnson has been sentenced to six months jail term by a Mobile Court in Awka, Anambra State for overloading.
The court presided over by a Chief Magistrate, I. Anyadiegbu, however gave the suspect an option of fine.
The vehicle was impounded by officials of the sector command of the Federal Road Safety Corps on Tuesday near the Amawbia flyover, along the Awka-Onitsha Expressway.
The Anambra State FRSC Sector Commander, Adeoye Irelewuyi, made the disclosure in his office in Awka, on Thursday, adding that the driver was arraigned immediately before the court upon apprehension.
He said, “The overloaded vehicle was impounded at our head office here in Awka and incidentally, the mobile court was sitting the same day.
“So, he was arraigned immediately in court and the chief magistrate presiding over the court handed him a six-month jail term with an option of fine.”
Irelewuyi, who warned that overloading is a dangerous road practice that has led to severe fatalities on the roads, also advised motorists to desist from such an anomaly.
He stressed that the command under his watch would continue its operations to arrest road users and drivers who persist in violating road rules in this regard.
He also assured the public that mobile court operations would be intensified to ensure prompt prosecution of offenders to serve as a deterrent to others.
“Overloading is a practice that can increase the probability of fatality in a crash because when an overloaded vehicle crashes, the driver and the passengers may not have the chance of escaping from the crash, as the goods may fall on them and even cause more death than the crash itself.
“So, we appeal to road users to desist from overloading their vehicles either with goods or passengers.
“All these we are doing to drive down to the barest minimum, the rate of road traffic crashes in the state. All we are soliciting is the support and cooperation of the general public to make our roads safer and more peaceful,” he added.
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