Five Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA) officials have been charged with stealing and extortion before a Delta State High Court in Ughelli, Ughelli North local government area.
The five officials were arraigned after a 44-year-old commercial tricycle rider claimed N81, 000 in cash went missing after his tricycle was detained by DESTMA officials at Ughelli’s Otovwodo Market.
The tricyclist said that DESTMA officers accused him of unlawful parking and impounded his tricycle.
At the DESTMA office, he was told to pay a N10,000 fine, but the officials raised the sum to N30,000 after the tricyclist accused them of stealing the money he had left inside his tricycle.
The individual stated that he was ordered to deposit the money into a Zenith Bank account before his tricycle was freed.
After filing a formal complaint with the police, the five officials were arrested and jailed.
Their arraignment signifies the start of legal proceedings to resolve the claims of extortion and criminal misconduct brought against them.
Attempts to contact the Director of DESTMA, Mr. Desmond Adu, for comment on the incident were fruitless, as calls and texts to his cell phone went unanswered.
