Govt abolishes on the spot vehicle fine payment: Tough luck for corrupt Malawi Police traffic officers

Government says it is abolishing on the spot fine payments for vehicles, saying motorists will have to make payments later.

Director of Road Traffic and Safety directorate Jacques Mononga said the new system starts March next year.

“We have perfected the new system to ensure every tambala goes into the Account Number One,” he said.

Mononga said the on the spine fine payment systems had its own problems and loopholes and was abused to some extent.

Until March 2017, traffic police officers fine offending motorists who pay the fines on the spot.

Mononga said the new system is much better than the old system whereby offending motorists were brought before a magistrate and fined.

“This time we have improved the system, with have an improved technology, motorists do not have to queue before courts, the new system is fast,” he said.

Motorists will be booked for a road traffic offence by a police officer and the motorist would make payment later.

Motorists will be booked, issued with tickets and make payments in banks, avoiding having their licences withdrawn by traffic police as was the case before.