Lagos BRT staff bus driver arraigned, remanded in prison custody

Justice Oyindamola Ogala of an Ikeja High Court, today, ordered the remand in prison of Lagos State BRT staff bus driver, Oluwaseun Osibanjo, accused of running into a moving train, causing grievous harm and involuntary manslaughter.

He was ordered remanded by a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, presided over by Justice Oyindamola Ogala, after being arraigned by the state government before the judge.

Justice Ogala specifically directed that Osibanjo be remanded at the appropriate correctional facility pending the filing and hearing of his bail application.

The BRT staff bus driver was arraigned on a 16-count charge bordering on involuntary manslaughter and grievous harm after being accused of committing the offence on March 9 at 7.00 a.m. on Shogunle Level Crossing, Ikeja.

But Osibanjo pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Addressing the court, the prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins, submitted that the defendant ignored warning signals and ran into an oncoming train and negligently killed one Oreoluwa Aina, Tolulope Emmanuel, Olayinka Rokosu, Ganiyat Salaudeen, Lasisi Isah and Victoria Dada.

Dr Martins further alleged that the defendant inflicted grievous harm on Bolanle Ogunbunmi, Ayomide Shobowale, Sarah Adeleye, Abiola Olarewaju, Esther Ekundayo, Samuel Fagbola and Ismail Bakare.

Others are Ayuib Arowoye, Rilwan Abdulazeez and Shiyanbola Murtala.

Meanwhile, counsel for the BRT driver, Mr Lekan Egberongbe, pleaded with the court to remand the defendant in police custody due to his health condition, while awaiting the trial date and perfection of his bail conditions.

Egberongbe explained that the defendant was brought from the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta to court.

In her ruling, Justice Ogala held that the court does not have the medical report of the defendant and does not have the power to remand the defendant in police custody.

The judge, however, noted that if the custodial centre is served with the necessary medical report of the defendant, he should be given proper medical attention.

However, the prosecution applied that the defendant be remanded and if there was a need for him to get medical attention, the correctional service would provide the same.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence contravenes Sections 244 and 245 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Trial has been fixed for May 26, 2023.

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