The two suspects Mohammed Awal(left) and Moro Bukari(right) with some fake items
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Bolgatanga has handed over two persons to the Upper East Regional Police Command for investigation and possible prosecution, for producing and distributing fake vehicle number plates, Drivers License and vehicle registration documents.
The Upper East Regional Police Command has assurred that, the two suspects will be dealt with according to the law and will go after their accomplice who are on the run.
The two suspects, Mohammed Awal, 29 years and Moro Bukari, 52, were arrested by the “Anti-Fake Number Plates” Task-Force of the DVLA at their hideout in Kumasi in the Ashanti region, after three months of investigation into the existence of fake number plates in the Upper East region.
Moro Bukari and Awal Mohammed had in their possession a number of sophisticated equipments used for producing the fake number plates and other state documents, including local and international drivers license, birth certificates and travelling passports.
Addressing the press at a parade to handover the suspects to thel Police, the Acting Regional Manager of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, Muntawakil Abdullai said, the Task-Force will continue to monitor the system and the streets for fake numbers and will cause the arrest owners of such vehicles.
He urged the Police, not to relent in the chase of the accomplice of the two suspects in their grips, so as to prevent them from continuing their illegal operations.
“There are about 1000 fake numbers in the system and we will monitor streets and take them off. Our last joint operation with the CEPS revealed the operations of these ” fake number plate” producers. Now that we are aware, the Authority will do everything possible to seize all vehicles with fake registration documents and numbers.”
According Mr. Abdullai the attention of the Authority was drawn to the illegality when people failed to produce their documents to retrieve their seized motor bikes.
“When the Task-Force got to their hide out in Kumasi, these suspects and their accomplice at large, had produced a number fake number plates meant to be used in the Upper East, Ashanti and Northern regions. … the existence of these fake number plates in the region are a serious threat to our Security. How can you trace the owner of a car or motor bike with a fake registration that is used for a criminal activity ?” He questioned.
Meanwhile a section of the public who who witnessed the and handing over and spoke with the Daily Guide in separate interviews, blamed the DVLA for the existence of these illegal number plate and registration documents producers.
Almost all the interviewees said, the procedure for getting a vehicle registered at the DVLA office is cumbersome and confusing, hence the decision by many to use the easy way out.
They want the DVLA to make the registration process straight forward and more transparent to get more people registering their vehicles with the Authority.
From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga