CRIMEFEATUREDNATIONAL

Court Orders Captain of Mishap Boat To Open Defense

Justice Josephine Oyefeso of an Ikeja High Court has ordered a boat captain, Happiness Elebiju, to open his defense over the death of 13 passengers in a boat mishap that occurred on July 29, 2020 on the Kirikiri waterways in Lagos.

The judge made the order while giving a ruling on a no-case submission filed by the defendant.

Justice Oyefeso stated that the court has considered the totality of the evidence deduced and found that there are many questions begging for answers.

“The defendant indeed does have a case to answer. I overrule the no-case submission and call on the defendant to open his case,” Oyefeso said.

Following the ruling, the case was adjourned to April 14 for continuation of trial.

Elebiju is facing an eleven-count charge of manslaughter and operating without a license.

You May Also Like: N500m Laundering: EFCC Closes Case Against Former Speaker Ikuforiji

Five prosecution witnesses have testified during the trial and prosecution had closed its case on Feb 4.

The boat mishap allegedly occured at 5.45pm on July 29, 2020 on the Kirikiri waterways, Lagos when the defendant’s boat conveying 20 passengers capsized, killing 13 persons including two children.

According to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, the captain drove his boat, with the inscription “Mount Zion Transport” in a reckless and dangerous manner causing the death of some of the passengers.

Elebiju who was scheduled to open his defence on March 18, had on that day, filed a no-case submission through his counsel, Mr Samuel Ogungbamila.

Ogungbamila had the court to discharge the defendant noting that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case against his client.

The DPP had however, vehemently opposed the defendant’s application

Wahab Akinlade

Akinlade I. WAHAB is a dedicated journalist and the proprietor of I-WAHAB Media. He embarked on his career at Murhi International TV (MiTV) and subsequently joined Radio Nigeria as a Judicial Correspondent.With a profound interest in legal reporting, he currently holds the positions of Chairman at the National Association of Judicial Correspondents (NAJUC), Ikeja Branch, and Chairman at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Radio Nigeria Chapel.As the owner of I-WAHAB Media, he has successfully established Top Court News, a platform renowned for providing comprehensive coverage of court cases and legal developments, with the aim of promoting transparency within the judicial system.Akinlade's diligent work and unwavering commitment to ethical reporting have earned him immense respect within the Nigerian journalism community.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button
Verified by MonsterInsights