Dubai: Dubai's chief traffic prosecutor has unveiled that Dubai Police headquarters was notified of the new regulation to have traffic fine objections filed either at police stations or the Traffic Public Prosecution (TPP) in October 2009.
"On October 23, I represented TPP in a coordination meeting between Dubai Public Prosecution [DPP] and Dubai Police in the presence of chief prosecutors and the General Director of the Criminal Investigation Department [CID] and directors of police stations. During that meeting, it was agreed that police stations start registering objections against traffic fines immediately," announced chief traffic prosecutor Salah Bu Farousha, TPP's Head, yesterday.
On January 13, DPP's Head of General Prosecution sent a letter to the general director of CID [the department in charge of police stations] informing him to put the new traffic fines objection system into action, said Bu Farousha.
His announcement came in a media statement issued to counter the claims of Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police, and Major General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director General of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, who told the press that Dubai Police headquarters was not notified of the new regulation.
Directive
"On January 20, the CID director general sent out a circular in which he directed all directors of police stations and sub-departments of Dubai police to start implementing the new system immediately, and sent a copy of that circular to the Deputy Commander of Chief of Dubai Police and the director general of the Traffic Department. On December 30, TPP's head approved the new traffic fines objection system and attached to it the objection application form," said Bu Farousha.
"The system clarified the objection mechanism and specified the authorities in charge of handling the objections and the required actions which followed. According to the system, objectors were allowed to renew their driving licences or registrations and to suspend any decision to impound their cars or licences during the period of objection.
That applies until a decision is reached by TPP of the Traffic Court."
Last week, Lieutenant General Dahi said they had not been notified about the matter and "it is completely illogical to have this regulation as the Traffic Department is the concerned authority with such matters".
Meanwhile Major General Al Zafein said the recent regulation confused the public. "All of the above-mentioned actions are well documented by official letters between the mentioned parties. Article 2/61 of the Traffic Law stipulates that if the offender refused to pay a fine, then the case is referred to Traffic Public Prosecution."
Bu Farousha said the TPP works under the directives of Dubai Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan and fully cooperates with their partners for a better and efficient implementation of justice.
The chief traffic prosecutor said objectors can submit their objections at TPP's office or the police station. "As per the new system and within the past two weeks we received nearly 40 objections which were handled swiftly," said the statement.
Have you objected a traffic fine in the past? Was any action taken? Do you think the change will accelerate the process of revoking a traffic fine?
