A South African man who claimed he didn’t know he was required to have car insurance in Ireland has been fined in court.
Djamal Habbas told Judge Emile Daly at Letterkenny District Court: “I didn’t know the law”.
The 44-year-old Habbas, of Garvan Court, Main Street, Ballybofey, was charged with having no insurance at Railway Road, Stranorlar, on November 27, 2025.
Representing himself in court, Habbas told Judge Daily that: “If you buy a car with cash in South Africa you can drive with no insurance”.
Habbas said he didn’t know the law and paid for insurance the following morning.
“In South Africa, it is optional,” he said. “I didn’t know the law very well.”
Sergeant Jim Collins confirmed that Habbas has no previous convictions.
Judge Daly convicted Habbas and fined him €350, allowing four months to pay.
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“You need to know what the law is,” Judge Daly said, but spared Habbas a driving ban.
Judge Daly explained to Habbas that she had to convict him as he accepted that he was driving without insurance.
“You are expected to know the law,” Judge Daly added.