Police Must Justify ‘Okada’ Seizures

Sometime last month, the police banned all bikes labeled with commercial number plates from moving within the city center, especially the busy commercial areas. The reason police gave for this ban was the rampant accident and traffic congestion within the city.

A month period was given to the bike riders to cease their operation from the area in question. The grace period ended this week and many commercial bikes have been apprehended for violating the ban.

According to police constable PC 594, Williams J. K, the acting Station Sergeant, and an investigator of cases related to ‘okada’ accidents in the Eastern Police area, very close to thirty bikes have been seized and thirteen of these riders have been charged to court. According to Mr. Williams, since the imposition of the ban almost a month ago, reports of ‘okada’ related accidents have been drastically reduced.

Turay Kemoh Mansaray is among the bike riders whose ‘okada’ has been seized and whose matter has been charged to court. According to Mansaray, the action of police is discriminatory and illegal. “Police need to justify that only ‘okadas’ with commercial number plates commit the offences for which in the first place they imposed the ban on them alone,” he said.

Investigations reveal ‘okadas’ with both private and commercial number plates obtain licenses from the same quarter, and have obtained the right to move anywhere in this country.

“Let the police justify to the nation which type of bikes fall short of their law, or is it only bikes with commercial number plates that are involving in the violations they named?” he asked.

According to Mr. Mansaray, police are biased against the commercial riders and that ‘okadas’ with private number plates are treated like sacred cows because most of them are owned by authorities, including police officers.

Responding to the allegation of discrimination, PC Williams J. K. said they identify commercial bikes or bikers from the private bikes not only by the registration number but also from the inappropriate dresses they wear while on the job.

Meanwhile, nineteen commercial bikes have been issued ticket of minor traffic offences. “We issue tickets for riding without helmet and for over loading, speeding and not respecting traffic regulations, these are the reasons for which we apprehend the bikers and seize their bikes.

“Fines charged are paid directly to the Sierra Leone Road Transport Authority,” he concluded.

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