Nigerian judge stops fines for faded number plates
A court in Lagos has ruled against a government department imposing fines or "arresting vehicles" in cases where faded number plates are displayed.
Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Commission was defendant in a case filed against it by Chinwike Chamberlain Ezebube. Mr Ezebube's summons sought a judgement to determine "Whether the Defendant, pursuant to Section 5(g) and Section 10(3)(f) of the Federal Road Safety Commission Act 2007, being the sole designer and producer of Vehicle Number Plates in Nigeria, is not absolutely responsible for the quality and durability of the vehicle number plates as are produced by it".
The aim seems to have been to apportion liability to the FRSC rather than the owner or driver of a vehicle displaying faded number plates.
Justice Aluko's ruling stated, “By way of conclusion, I hold the view that the Defendant cannot criminalise the use of a faded vehicle number plate, and has no power to impose a fine on the Plaintiff for using a faded vehicle number plate, or impound the Plaintiff’s vehicle on such grounds, without the order of a court of competent jurisdiction [...
