Court orders LTA officer to pay taxi driver $500

A Land Transport Authority (LTA) officer was ordered by the Nasinu Magistrate Court to pay a Suva taxi driver $500 after the court found his actions evasive and an abuse of office when he issued two unlawful tickets against the driver.

Magistrate Krishan Prasad made the ruling after hearing both sides during the trial. In this case, the LTA filed charges against Donald Prakash in 2019 for one count of obstruction of street and conduct of drivers, alleging that he was seen parking in the middle of the road where he was not supposed to.

They also alleged that Mr Prakash acted angrily when approached and started filming the officer, Atunaisa Kuruibou, before voluntarily giving his details.

During the trial, Mr Kuruibou maintained that Mr Prakash did not comply with road rules and parked his vehicle in a prohibited area. It took some time before Mr Prakash complied with his requests while processing details.

Mr Prakash argued that he never parked at Damodar City but was behind a Raiwaqa bus that had made a quick stop ahead of him. He said traffic was slow that day, with four vehicles and a bus in front, and that he never intended to overtake but waited cautiously behind the bus.

He told the court that Mr Kuruibou cut through the line from the back and made a quick stop beside him, instructing him to park at the bus bay near Cost-U-Less Supermarket. Mr Prakash voluntarily handed over his driver’s licence for processing; however, when he asked the officer why he was being pulled over, the officer laughed at him.

His licence was never returned, even though the officer had processed his details. Mr Prakash also told the court he filmed the interaction because he was never given an explanation and felt embarrassed and humiliated. He went to Raiwaqa Police Station to file a report against the officer but was referred to the LTA, where he was later issued a second ticket.

After careful consideration of the evidence, the court acquitted Mr Prakash, finding that he had reasonable grounds to act as he did. While he acknowledged the role of LTA officers in maintaining road safety, he stressed that those responsibilities should not be abused, even by senior officers.

Magistrate Prasad found the charges against Mr Prakash frivolous and vexatious and ruled that he had been bullied, humiliated, and subjected to mental anguish. The LTA was ordered to refund the fines Mr Prakash paid for the two tickets and to pay $500 in compensation immediately.

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