Derek Boateng with a Police Officer
Derek Boateng with a Police Officer

A former Ghana midfielder, Derek Boateng, has been arrested by the Police for exceeding driving speed limit within Accra.

Boateng was among 35 drivers who were arrested for flouting various road traffic regulations.

A statement from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) said the operation was carried out in collaboration with the Accra Central Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.

The drivers were arrested driving above the legally specified speed limit of 50 km/hr at which a vehicle could drive in the city with the Laser Cam 4-speed detection device donated to the Accra Central MTTD by the BIGRS through the AMA.

Notable among those arrested during the operation were former Black Stars player, Derick Boateng and security officers whose identities were not immediately known.

The AMA further stated that Boateng and the other arrested drivers were fined between GHc480 to GHc660 as a penalty for their actions.

Speaking in an interview after the exercise, Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, cautioned motorists to comply with the 50km/h and 30km/h speed limits in urban and school areas as stipulated in Ghana Road Traffic Regulations (L.I.2180) when plying the city’s roads.

The exercise by the Accra Central MTTD of the Ghana Police Service, in collaboration with the AMA and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety was also on the Olusegun Obasanjo Way and J.A Kufuor Avenue in Accra. 

Boateng played for the Black Stars between 2001 and 2013, having also helped the Black Satellites earn runners-up medal at the 2001 U-20 FIFA World Cup.

He played in the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup staged in Germany and South Africa respectively.

The 38-year-old went on to play at the Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup for Ghana before hanging his boots after earning over 40 caps for the national team.

Derek Boateng with a Police Officer
Derek Boateng with a Police Officer

He played for Fulham, Getafe among other top European clubs.