Africa-Press – Liberia. Cephus had challenged the citation, claiming it contradicted Section 3.93 of the traffic law and suggesting the stop was politically motivated.
The Monrovia Traffic Court has found former Solicitor General of Liberia, Cllr. Syrenius Cephus, guilty of operating a vehicle with expired registration documents and without a visible rear license plate.
The ruling follows a May 10, 2025, traffic stop on 10th Street in Sinkor, during which Police Inspector Ben Johnson cited Cephus for violations of Liberia’s Vehicle and Traffic Law.
The vehicle in question bore license plate number A58327 and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) KNALM4158BCA060358.
Delivering the verdict, Traffic Court Judge Korser Zubah stated that the vehicle had no valid registration as of midnight on April 24, 2025. This constitutes a direct violation of Section 3.7 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Judge Zubah ordered Cephus to pay a US$50 fine within 72 hours, as stipulated on the traffic ticket. The court also ruled that Cephus must present the payment receipt before his driver’s license can be returned.
Cephus had challenged the citation, claiming it contradicted Section 3.93 of the traffic law and suggesting the stop was politically motivated.
“The police are hungry, can’t you see? He looks hungry,” Cephus told reporters, implying that the enforcement was more about personal harassment than legal compliance. He said the incident occurred while he was en route to an important meeting.
Police Inspector Johnson, however, defended the action, stating that the stop was part of routine enforcement aimed at ensuring all motorists comply with traffic laws. He emphasized that registration violations remain a key focus of ongoing operations.
In clarifying the legal framework, Judge Zubah noted that Liberia’s Vehicle and Traffic Law grants a one-month grace period for vehicle owners to renew their registration after expiration without penalty.
He stressed that registration cycles run from January to December, with owners expected to update documents by January 31 of the following year.
“Failure to comply results in fines as set by the Ministry of Transport,” Judge Zubah added, calling for strict adherence to traffic regulations across all segments of the population, including public officials.
The case comes amid heightened enforcement efforts by the Liberia National Police targeting traffic law violations nationwide, including among former government officials and lawmakers.
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