The Court of Appeal in Owerri has delivered a judgment stating that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) cannot confiscate a driver’s license or vehicle documents without a court order.

The ruling was made in an appeal filed by the FRSC against a decision by the Abia State High Court.

The case began during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when a medical practitioner, Emmanuel Ugochukwu, was stopped by FRSC officers in Umuahia.

Ugochukwu claimed that the officers demanded a bribe, and after he refused, they accused him of traffic offences and seized his license.

The Abia State High Court ruled in favour of Ugochukwu, awarding him damages. The FRSC, however, appealed, but the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict, albeit with a reduction in the damages awarded.

The court stated that the FRSC’s actions were unlawful and a breach of Ugochukwu’s fundamental rights.