Lagos State arraigns BRT Driver who crossed Railway Crossing

A Lagos State High Court sitting in1 Ikeja has arraigned a driver of the Lagos Staff bus, Oluwaseun Osibanjo for allegedly running into a moving train, causing grievous harm and involuntary manslaughter to the passengers.

Justice Oyindamola Ogala ordered that the defendant be remanded at the appropriate custodial centre pending the filing and hearing of his bail application.

The judgment adjourned the case until May 26 for the commencement of trial.

The bus driver was arraigned on a 16-count-charge bordering on alleged involuntary manslaughter and grievous harm.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Babajide Martins, thereafter prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility.

He added that the defendant committed the offences on March 9 at 7.00 a.m. on Shogunle Level Crossing, Ikeja.

He 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.

Thw defence counsel, Lekan Egberongbe, however prayed the court to remand the defendant in a police custody, due to his health reasons.

“The defendant was brought from from the Federal Medical Centre Ebute-metta this morning my lord. I plead with the court while we await the trial date to allow him be remanded with the police.

the judge said the court did not have the medical report of the defendant.

“The court does not have the power to remand the defendant at the police custody.

“If the custodial centre is served with the necessary medical report of the defendant, he should be given proper medical attention,” Justice Ogala said.

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