A private legal practitioner, Kofi Bentil, has said that it is illegal for police to confiscate a vehicle over the driver's inability to provide the original driving license at the time.

Speaking to the media he said "carrying a photocopy of a drivers license is entirely lawful as a prima facie proof of the existence of that license. The Police can request that the original be produced in 24hours without impounding the car".

"The law in Ghana does not allow you to impound cars because the driver doesn't have his or her license with them. the car is not evidence in that context!! there is no probable cause or justification for impounding the vehicle," he added.

Mr Bentil indicated that the law in Ghana allows the driver to produce the license in 24 hours.

“You don’t have any right to amend that on your whims,” he told the Police.

Some police officers have been reported to have impounded vehicles that the drivers did not have the original copies of the lives on them.

But Mr Bentil who is also Vice President of Imani Africa said in a Facebook post that “If you continue infringing peoples rights like these, one of these days someone will sue the Ghana Police for impounding their vehicle without probable cause and take damages for distress and loss of use from the Police (Not DVLA).”

Beos is his full statement…

Dear GHANA POLICE / DVLA

The LAW in Ghana DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO IMPOUND CARS BECAUSE THE DRIVER DOES NOT HAVE A LICENSE ON HIM!! the car is NOT Evidence in that context!! there is no probable cause or justification for impounding the vehicle.

The law in Ghana allows the driver to produce their license in 24 hours. You dont have any right to amend that on your whims.

Carrying a photocopy of a drivers license is entirely lawful as a prima facie proof of the existence of that license. The Police can request that the original be produced in 24hours WITHOUT IMPOUNDING THE CAR.

If you continue infringing peoples rights like these, one of these days someone will sue the Ghana Police for impounding their vehicle without probable cause and take damages for distress and loss of use from the Police (Not DVLA).

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE SYSTEM (AND I BELIEVE YOU DO) TO TAKE THE PERSONS PARTICULARS AND REQUEST THEM TO REPORT AT A POLICE STATION WITH THE NECESSARY PAPERS FAILING WHICH YOU CAN CAUSE THEIR ARREST.

DONT BREAK THE LAW TO ENFORCE THE LAW!!