Alice Nimako Debrah Ablormeti, a lawyer at Robert Smith Law Group, has provided insights into the authority of police officers to seize drivers’ licenses. According to her, police officers who hold a rank above inspector have the power to confiscate a driver’s license along with a receipt.
The lawyer shared this information while discussing the rights of drivers in traffic offenses during an interview on Prime Morning on Tuesday. She clarified that if a low-ranking police officer seizes someone’s license, the individual has the right to file a lawsuit seeking the return of the license, rather than engaging in a confrontation with the officer.
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“It is not every policeman that can seize your licence. Every policeman can inspect your licence and give you 24 hours to produce it if you don’t have it. But when it comes to seizing the licence, it has to be a policeman who is not below the rank of an inspector,” she explained.
Ablormeti called on policymakers to adopt comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of road users, aiming to minimize offenses and reduce road fatalities. She also urged drivers to familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations concerning road usage and driving in order to better defend their rights.
Furthermore, Regulation 47 (1–5) of the Road Traffic Regulation 2012 (L I 2180) mandates that drivers must carry their original driver’s license while operating a vehicle. As a result, drivers have the right to report any misconduct by a uniformed officer to the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPBS) of the Ghana Police Service.
“A police officer in uniform shall request a person to produce the driver’s licence that authorises a driver to drive a vehicle for inspection. Where a person driving a vehicle is to produce a driver’s licence, that person shall produce it immediately or within 24 hours at the behest of the police.” she further added
The report should include the officer’s number and rank as displayed on their uniform.
