Police to enforce helmet use by bikers - Beijing Cargo Tricycle Group

By Prince J Musa in Kenema

Police in Kenema are set to ensure commercial bike riders and pillions use crash helmets starting September 1st ,2023.

The Divisional Operations Officer, Kenema Police Division (DO), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ibrahim Dikisu Kamara in an interview with Politico on the 26th August, 2023 said the enforcement is in line with a Memo from the Ministry of Internal Affairs Ministry. He said it is not going to be business as usual when people will flout public road safety regulations.

He said the police will be out in robust manner making sure that crash helmet wearing becomes a must for all commercial, private, NGO and Government riders.

He said people have lost loved ones, whilst others have been left handicapped as a result of road accidents. He said the vision of the new Internal Affairs Minister is to address the issue of road accidents and will not sit by and watch drivers continue disregarding rules.

He urged those in the habit of abandoning vehicles by the highway and parking places that are not appropriate, to stop henceforth, as violators will be fully investigated and charged to court without any compromise.

He said they have held several meetings with motor bikes riders, drivers and tricycle riders regard the memo sent to them and that police will start their operation fully on the stated date and advised the public to comply.

‘’We want to appeal to politicians not to interfere with our operations because most times their interference dampens the spirit of the police in doing our job professionally’’, the officer said.

DSP Kamara cautioned women who frown at putting on helmet because of their hairstyle, saying this time the passenger or pillion will be arrested and charged to court immediately, not the rider.

He added that they have engaged the main stream media to inform the public about the present operational order which nobody should make excuse about, saying fines will be determined by a resident magistrate for those defaulters who are charged to court.