The Tribune

By Leandra Rolle

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ROAD Traffic Department officials have confirmed investigations are underway to determine the source of several fake licence discs that have been issued to drivers in recent weeks. In an interview with The Tribune, Acting Road Traffic Controller Bradley Sands called the matter an “ongoing” problem, one he insisted the department hopes to rectify soon.

“This is one of the few matters that we have been investigating for maybe the last month or so. It is expected that in short order we will be able to bring this matter to a conclusion,” Mr Sands said. “The persons that are producing these fraudulent discs, it’s only a matter of time before they are caught and that’s why I said that investigations are ongoing and we have an idea of where we’re going in terms of the investigation and we are following significant leads.

“So, in short order, we expect to have this culprit brought before the court in relation to this matter,” he said on Thursday. 

His comments came a day after a video surfaced on social media, showing an officer questioning a male driver about his fake licence disc.

In the nearly one-minute long video, the officer is seen inspecting the fake decal, while asking the male driver about its origin.

To this, the driver replied: “I get my car licence from someone.”

It is not clear, however, how long the motorist had been driving in public with the fake licence decal.

When asked how many fake licence decals the Road Traffic Department has seen since last year, Mr Sands replied: “I’d say about as many as 10 (have been reported) since my time here and that’s been about 15 months.”

However, Mr Sands maintains that the department will be working vigorously to find the source of the fraudulent decals.

In the meantime, the acting road traffic controller urged members of the public to go through the proper channels to have their vehicles licensed in order to avoid breaking the law.

“The members of the public need to understand that fraudulent use of a licence disc is an (offence for which they can be arrested) and persons committing this fraud and collecting $400 or $500 from them simply is not worth it,” he told The Tribune.

“Why would you spend $500 for a fraudulent licence disc and when you are caught, you will face criminal charges as well as your vehicle is not even properly licensed to be on the streets of New Providence?

“And, so members of the public simply need to follow the law and come to the Road Traffic Department and have their vehicles licensed properly,” he said Thursday.