A former worker of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) has been sentenced to a fine of 2,400 cedis for producing and distributing forged roadworthy stickers.

Alex Osei Agyekum was found guilty of four counts of conspiracy to forge a document (roadworthy sticker); issuing a forged document; procuring a forged document and forging a document.

Presiding judge at the Accra Motor Court Four, Justice Patricia Amponsah, fined Agyekum 2,400 cedis for the first count and 600 cedis for each of the other three counts.

The sentences will run concurrently which means the convict will pay the highest amount - 2,400 cedis or in default serve three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

Inspector Wonder Lumor, Prosecutor of the Central MTTU, who prosecuted the case, said the forging of roadworthy stickers in the country has assumed alarming proportions and has become a source of worry for the police.

He said the widespread nefarious activities of people like Alex was depriving the state of large sums of money.

Inspector Lumor said the fraudsters have machines with which they forge the stickers.

Asked whether the fine was not so small that it didn’t appear prohibitive enough, the police prosecutor said, “there are limits in what the judges can do within the law.”

Many police officers have complained about the meager fines prescribed by the current law – the Road Traffic Act, 2008 (Act 761).

This Act amended the 2004 Road Traffic Act, Act 683 which prescribed stiffer punishments and heavier fines for road traffic offences.

The Act was reviewed for political reasons after the then New Patriotic Party government suffered a backlash from commercial drivers who found the law too draconian.

Inspector Lumor will not comment on this except to say that as a prosecutor, he will continue to apply the current law when dealing with offenders.

If Parliament wishes to amend the law again, so be it, he said.