$71,000 Fighting A Speeding Ticket?

Mustafa Al Shakarji got a traffic ticket for speeding. To date he has spent $71,000 fighting the $180 ticket. That likely sounds crazy to us, as I know it did to me. But then I was treated to the back story.

Al Shakarji escaped the persecution of Iraq under Saddam Hussein, and he won’t be persecuted anymore, no matter the cost.

He immigrated with his family to Australia from Iraq in 2002, where he found a country very different from Iraq. Al Shakarji didn’t have to fight a government that might kill you or deal with police corruption. That feeling of FREEDOM is what has driven him to fight so hard against a ticket he doesn’t believe he deserves.

He said to news.com.au.

“In Iraq I couldn’t stand up to speak out, but here you can when you don’t think it’s right, so why wouldn’t you?” he told news.com.au back in 2011, when he was discussing another ticket he successfully fought.

That story made news because he used Google Earth images to make the case police had the wrong car.

In the most recent incident, police allege he was going 88kmh in a 60kmh speed zone (that’s roughly 55mph vs. 37mph), Al Shakarji says, “I was not speeding, absolutely.

We often wonder about the cost of freedom. But for Al Shakarji, freedom is priceless.

Estimates are that Al Shakarji has spent “at least $71,000” ($100,000 AUD) on the legal battle, and he has represented himself at the five hearings, which include police appealing the appeal he initially won.

Even his family thinks he’s crazy and should just pay the fine.

“I am sure, 100%, finally justice will be served,” Al Shakarji says referring to his next day in court, adding that he’s willing to take the case all the way to Australia’s High Court.

I say to Al Shakarji “FIGHT ON, PATRIOT!”

 

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