JEDDAH, 22 January — The Traffic Department in Makkah has ordered a policeman to be transferred after finding that he made false charges of traffic violations against a Saudi driver.
The department discovered that the charges had been falsely logged after the driver had left for another country after selling his car.
Yasser Al-Mahlawi, the driver who was the victim of the traffic cop, complained to the authorities that he was outside the country during the period when several traffic violations were recorded against him.
During the subsequent investigation, the accused admitted that he had made seven false charges against the driver, including: not stopping the car when the traffic patrol ordered him to stop; speeding; using tinted window glass; and not presenting a driving license when ordered to.
"The policeman was punished with a transfer when he was found to have registered false charges," according to Col. Muhammad Al-Falah, director of the Makkah traffic police. The punishment also included denying him duties that entailed serious responsibilities, such as detecting traffic violations, and the payment of all the fines he falsely recorded against the innocent driver.
All officers in command of patrols will now be asked to prepare reports on new recruits to ascertain their sense of duty and level of discipline.
Another traffic policeman, discovered to have made false allegations of traffic violations against several individuals, was dismissed last August.
