The traffic police in Rumbek launched a motorcycle crackdown yesterday, netting up to 150 motorcycles due to lack of registration number plates and or underage riders.
Lakes State Director of Traffic, Chol Arol, told Good News Radio that the crackdown targeted underage motorcyclists to stop them since the youngsters caused many fatal road accidents due to over speeding and reckless riding.Mr. Arol said officers targeted also unregistered motorcycles, adding that it is difficult to trace unregistered bikes in case of accident.
He encouraged motorcycle owners to have their vehicles registered saying his office had enough official number plates.
Bishop Elijah Matueny Awet of the Episcopal Church of Sudan diocese of Cueibet was one of those caught in the early morning crackdown.
Bishop Matueny said he was arrested because his bike did not have a number plate and he did not know that he had to get one..
He complained that life after the referendum was more expensive although he could afford the fee of 130 Sudanese Pounds required for registration.
He said he paid 10 pounds for a litter of petrol, just the double it cost the previous day.
In Lakes State the registration of a motorbike for private use costs 130 Sudanese pounds and 150 pounds if the vehicle is for commercial use.