By Toba Suleiman

About 53 people were at the weekend, convicted by a mobile court in Ekiti State, following their alleged involvement in various traffic offences in the state.
 
It was gathered that 61 people were initially tried in the mobile court, after which 53 were eventually convicted for 64 traffic offences, while three were warned and discharged.

The offences ranged from seat belt violations, use of worn out tyres; use of handsets while driving; and riding without crash helmets.

Chief Magistrate Adegboye, who presided over the mobile court, warned the offenders to desist from disobeying traffic rules and ensure that they pay their fines.

Speaking with journalists during the court’s session, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the state, Mr. R.T. Kumven, said the non-use of seat belts by drivers and riding of motorcycles without crash helmet were a major offences being committed in the state.

He also lamented the use of obscure number plates by some motorists, stressing that it was making it difficult for law enforcement agents to read the identification of such vehicles at a distance.

Meanwhile, the Zonal Commander of the FRSC in charge of Ekiti; Kwara and Kogi States, Mr. Kehinde Adeleye, has mandated all the sector commanders in the zone not to under report any road situation in their areas of operations.
Adeleye stated this in Ado-Ekiti during a meeting he held with all sector and unit commanders in the zone.

However, Kumven, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the zonal commander frowned at a situation where road situation was being under reported.

According to him, “The zonal commander advised us to always give adequate report of any road mishap in our areas of jurisdiction; that if any accident happens and may be two, three or 10 people die, say it instead of under reporting it.”

This, he said, would enable us to strategies and “come up with positive plans and deploy resources to combat such mishaps.”