Five officials of the Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA) were arraigned on Tuesday, before a Delta State High Court sitting in Ughelli, over allegations of theft and extortion.
The arraignment of the five officials followed claims by a 44-year-old commercial tricycle rider that N81, 000 in cash went missing after his tricycle was impounded by DESTMA officials at the Otovwodo Market in Ughelli, headquarters of Uhelli North Local Government Area.
The tricyclist alleged that the DESTMA officials had accused him of wrongful parking, and consequently impounded his tricycle.
At the DESTMA office, he was told to pay a fine of N10, 000, but the officials increased the amount they demanded to N30, 000 after the tricyclist accused them of stealing the money he left inside his tricycle.
The man said he was instructed to pay the money into a Zenith Bank account, which he did before his tricycle was released.
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Following a formal complaint to the police, the five officials were arrested and detained. Their arraignment marks the beginning of legal proceedings to address charges of extortion and criminal misconduct mage against them.
Attempts to reach the Ughelli DESTMA Director, Mr. Desmond Adu, for comments on the incident proved unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his mobile phone went unanswered.
The case has drawn public attention, with the court expected to determine the culpability of the officials in the allegations levelled against them.
