THE KINGTOM COMMUNIQUE ON ENDING CORRUPTION IN TRAFFIC AND ROAD SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Date: 2016-03-07
At the end of a one day ground breaking consultative meeting of key stakeholders in the management of Traffic and Road Safety, including the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA), the Motor Drivers and General Transport Workers Union (MD>WU), the Sierra Leone Commercial Motorbike Riders Union (SLCMBRU), the Passenger Welfare Association Sierra Leone (PAWEL-SL), the Independence Police Complaints Board (IPCB) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) held at the Senior Police Officers Mess, Kingtom in Freetown on Tuesday 1st March, 2016 to address the persistent levying of accusations of corruption against the Sierra Leone Police as an institution particularly the Traffic Police Directorate and Traffic Wardens of the SLRSA, an understanding was reached hereinafter called the Kingtom Communiqué.
Whereas the SLP is mandated under the Road Traffic Act of 2007 and the Traffic Regulations of 2011 for the management of traffic and road safety.
Whereas the SLRSA is charged with the responsibility to regulate and coordinate development in the transport industry, including the registration and licensing of vehicles, drivers and prescription of routes for goods and passengers and other matters connected thereto including enhancing road safety.
Whereas the MD>WU, SLCMBRU, PAWEL-SL organizations are pressure groups set up to advocate on behalf of the members and regulate their conduct amongst other things, and
Whereas the IPCB is an independent civilian oversight institution established under Section 158 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Act No.6) of 1991 whose functions are set out in Section 3 of the Independent Police Complaints Board Regulations of 2013 to receive and investigate complaints of a service nature and thereby to increase public confidence in policing, and
Whereas the ACC is the lead agency for the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of corruption and corrupt practices and other related matters as provided for in the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008, and
Mindful of the damage corruption has had on the image of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority and the country as a whole, now resolve as follows;
1. That the SLP and the SLRSA will work with key stakeholders to segregate minor traffic offences for warning from serious traffic offences for litigation. This will be publicized in the shortest possible time for the attention of all road users.
2. That the SLP, SLRSA, the IPCB and other key stakeholders, raise public awareness regarding Section 87 (6) of the Road Traffic Act 2007 which states:
“Where a person is required under this section to produce a license or a certificate or any other document relevant to driving a motor vehicle or motor cycle, the person shall produce it immediately or within twenty-four hours of being so required.”
3. That Traffic Police Officers and Traffic Wardens are forbidden to collect any form of an advantage either in the form of a bribe, gift, or token in the conduct of their duties.
4. In the above regard, the public particularly drivers and bike riders, are admonished to desist from offering any form and or kind of advantage to officers of the law, noting that such actions violate Section 28 (8) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008.
5. As a follow up to ongoing efforts to reduce the presence of personnel at Check Points, stakeholders encourage Government to consider the reinstatement of traffic lights nationwide.
6. Stakeholders agreed that further consultations will be held to address a number of other issues related to the above.
1. The Inspector-General of Police
2. The Executive Director, Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority
3. The Chairman, Motor Drivers and General Transport Workers Union (MD>WU)
4. The Chairman, Sierra Leone Commercial Motorbike Riders Union (SLCMBRU)
5. The Chairman, Passenger Welfare Association–Sierra Leone (PAWEL-SL)
6. The Chairman, Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB)
7. The Deputy Commissioner, Anti-Corruption Commission
