Attorney General directs police to cease vehicle seizures for minor traffic violations

The Attorney General’s Office has directed the Ghana Police Service to halt the seizure of vehicles for minor traffic violations.

The directive, addressed to the Inspector General of Police, cites a surge in public grievances, including those from legal experts and high-ranking officials, over the police’s practice of confiscating vehicles under the Road Traffic Regulations 2012 (L.I. 2180).

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, highlighted that the regulation stipulates fines or imprisonment as penalties for minor infractions, thus making vehicle impoundment an excessive measure not supported by Regulations 158 or L.I. 2180.

He stated, “The notion that a vehicle must be ‘used as an exhibit’ in court proceedings is both indefensible and illogical.”

In his role as the government’s chief legal advisor, he recommended, “Police officers are to refrain from seizing or restricting the use of vehicles for minor offences, such as purported breaches of road rules in Regulation 106, or infractions like running a red light or driving without valid insurance.”