As Lagos State commenced trial of the Dangote truck driver who colluded with BRT bus in Ikorodu, two witnesses, Mrs Ronke Odunuga and Mrs Adeshafe Omotola have gave an eyewitness account how the truck ran into the BRT to a Special Offences Court, Ikeja.
Four passengers lost their life in the accident which happened on August 27 at Majidun-Awori, Ikorodu.
Led in evidence by the lead prosecutor, Yhaqub Oshoala before Justice Sherifat Solebo, the witness, Mrs Odunuga said she was busy discussing with one of her business partners on phone when the accident happened.
She said all of a sudden, she heard a loud bang.
” I could remember that people were shouting and crying. Everything including seats and people were scattered.
“I found myself lying in the middle of the bus and dead and wounded people were on my top.
“The people in the bus were matching on me as they struggle to get out of the bus.
The people that came to rescue us were removing dead and wounded persons on top of me. I was the last person to be rescued and brought out of the bus and laid on the road outside.
” I found that an iron rod had entered my bum-bum and came out through my lap (thigh).
“When I was brought out, I saw other people laid on the ground, most of them were dead. I could not talk, I was just looking”.
Odunuga said the injured passengers were all taken to General Hospital, Ikorodu for treatment.
Odunuga said that all surviving victims of the accident were treated at the General Hospital, Ikorodu.
She told the court that she is yet to recover from the injury sustained in the accident.
Under cross examination by defence counsel, T. Hassan, Odunuga said herself and others were kept in the same ward.
She said they discovered that the boy who was with them was the motor boy when they went for x-ray and the police accosted him.
She said while in the ward, they tried cheering themselves up but that Okiki kept to himself and spoke to nobody before he was later taken away by the police.
In her testimony, the second witness, Omotola said she sat towards the back of the bus and was busy on her phone when suddenly she heard other passengers shouting.
She said she passed out following the head-on collision the truck had with the bus.
Omotola said when she opened her eyes, she was under the seat and had to be pulled out by the rescue team.
Under cross examination by Hassan, Omotola identified the defendant, Sheriff Adebayo as the driver of the truck.
Earlier, Edoh Jeremiah resident at First Avenue, Kosofe also identified the late driver of the BRT bus, Samuel Apochi who he described as her brother from the village.
Justice Solebo has adjourned the matter until January 27, 2020 for continuation of trial.
The truck driver, Adebayo, 25, a four count charge of involuntary manslaughter contrary to Sections 224 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The State prosecutor, Yhaqub Osoala, told the court that the offence was committed on August 27, 2019 at about 09.30 hours around Majidun, along Ikorodu road, Lagos.
The Director of Publication Prosecution (DPP) said that Adebayo unlawfully killed four people while dangerously and recklessly driving his truck with Reg No. KNC178XA into a BRT Bus with Reg No. LSR 228XS.
According the Osuala, the deceased persons namely: Samuel Apochi (M), Adenike Ismail (F), Sunday Balogun (M), Augustine Isaac (M), were allegedly killed after the truck driver rammed into the BRT bus.
