The police is mandated by law to maintain law and order. One of the most powerful institutions in every country is the police service. Without the police, none of the institutions and organs of government can function effectively.
There are however some officers of the police service, who are in the habit of finding fault and taking advantage of your vulnerability as a citizen.
To set the record straight, a police officer has no authority to seize your driver’s licence unless the licence has expired or is invalid. In the absence of that, a police officer cannot refuse to return your licence after inspection when the licence is valid.
Demand at all times for your license before complying with any further orders of the police officer. If the officer refuses, it amounts to a civil liability in torts known as Detinue. On this you may have to consult your lawyer to take a court action against the said police officer for a return of your licence and to pay monetary compensation for depriving your usage of it. At this point the name of the officer and where the officer is stationed become relevant. So make sure you get those information before driving away, leaving your license with the officer.
It is only when the continuous use of a thing is illegal, that a police officer is mandated to prevent the further usage of the said thing. So for example, where your roadworthy or insurance is invalid or expired, the police officer can seize the vehicle and prevent you from moving the vehicle any further. It is same with your driver’s licence.
It is a notorious fact that most police officers deliberately request for your licence first, before inspecting your vehicle, with the mind that a seizure of your licence will serve as a bait to get you to compulsorily ‘sort out’ any mess found after inspecting your vehicle.
Don’t be deceived into admitting or agreeing to a crime when the police arrests and questions you, especially when you know nothing about the crime. Before you speak to your lawyer, make sure you deny everything the police officer claims you have done, even when you did it and you think you have a sound reason or defence for doing so. Never admit to the officer and explain your defence or reason because the officer may have a way of capturing it.
However, speak to your lawyer on that because your lawyer will decide which defence or reason will legally work for you. If the police is minded to prosecute you, the police can mount an investigation into your case. To help your lawyer effectively put forward any defence, do not give any statement to the police confessing to a crime you did not commit.
Some police officers are also in the habit of putting into your statement what you have not said, in their attempt to gather enough evidence for your prosecution before the courts. Demand to read over every sentence in all statements prepared for you by the police. There are a lot of instances where the police officer is said to have paraphrased your narrative, but avoid this by making sure the statement captures your direct words even if the english, wording or grammar is incorrect before signing the statement.
Since you are now aware that most police officers do not care about the interest of a suspected criminal, don’t be fooled to follow the sweet directives from the officer, especially being advised to plead guilty for a lesser punishment. You will have a criminal record after doing that.
So this means our police officers knows the right thing to do but chose to turn blind eye to it
Wow
The professional ones always remain professional
Great eye opener. Thanks
You are welcome Sir.
No police officer, not even the IGP, is greater than the law. Every officer is mandated to act within the ambit of the law. No officer can ‘detain’ your licence except for a reasonable cause. And that reasonable cause may be that your licence is expired or invalid.
Great piece
A pleasure
Knowing the name of a police officer is easier because is tagged on the uniform, however, is really hard to know the station and a policemen perpetrating the illegalities does not in anyway tell you his/her station.
What do you do then if you are not able to capture the station of a police officer in question?
Police Officers are normally dispatched across the district in which their station is located. So the name of place of your encounter with the officer should tell you the station, especially the closest police station.
Great insight!
The pleasure is ours.