An Ikeja High Court has ordered the remand of a driver of the Lagos BRT staff bus, Oluwaseun Osibanjo, in prison for allegedly running into a moving train, causing grievous harm and involuntary manslaughter to the passengers.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala gave the order that Osibanjo be remanded at the appropriate correctional facility pending the filing and hearing of his bail application.
Osibanjo was arraigned on a 16-count-charge bordering on involuntary manslaughter and grievous harm.
The BRT Driver committed the offences on March 9 at 7.00 a.m. on Shogunle Level Crossing, Ikeja.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
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The prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins, had submitted that the defendant ignored warning signals and ran into an incoming train and negligently killed one Oreoluwa Aina, Tolulope Emmanuel, Olayinka Rokosu, Ganiyat Salaudeen, Lasisi Isah and Victoria Dada.
The prosecution also alleged said that the defendant inflicted grievous harm on Bolanle Ogunbunmi, Ayomide Shobowale, Sarah Adeleye,Abiola Olarewaju, Esther Ekundayo, Samuel Fagbola and Ismail Bakare.
Others were: Ayuib Arowoye, Rilwan Abdulazeez and Shiyanbola Murtala.
Meanwhile the driver lawyer, Mr Lekan Egberongbe, had pleaded with the court to remand the defendant in a police custody, due to his health condition, while awaiting the trial date and perfection of his bail conditions.
He explained that the defendant was brought from the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-metta to court.
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In his ruling, the judge said the court did not have the medical report of the defendant and does not have the power to remand the defendant at the police custody.
Justice Ogala however noted that if the custodial centre is served with the necessary medical report of the defendant, he should be given proper medical attention.
The prosecution, however, applied that the defendant be remanded and if there was a need for him to get medical attention, the correctional service would provide same.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravened Sections 244 and 245 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The case has been adjourned till May 26, for the commencement of trial.
