Justice Oyindamola Ogala of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, remanded Oluwaseun Osibanjo, the driver of Lagos Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), which collided with a train at PWD, Ikeja, in Nigeria Correctional facility.
According to the prosecution, he ignored warning signals and ran into an oncoming train, resulting in the death of OreOluwa Aina, Tolulope Emmanuel, Olayinka Rokosu, Ganiyat Salaudeen, Lasisi Isah, and Victoria Dada.
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He was also accused of causing grievous harm to Bolanle Ogunbunmi, Ayomide Shobowale, Sarah Adeleye, Abiola Olarewaju, Esther Ekundayo, Samuel Fagbola, Ismail Bakare, Ayuib Arowoye, Rilwan Abdulazeez, and Shiyanbola Murtala.
As a result of these allegations brought against him by the Lagos State government, Mr Osibanjo was arraigned on a 16-count charge of involuntary manslaughter and grievous harm. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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During the court hearing, the director of public prosecution, Babajide Martins, requested a trial date and for Mr Osibanjo to be remanded in prison custody. The defence counsel, Lekan Egberongbe, requested that the defendant be remanded in police custody for health reasons, as he had been brought from the Federal Medical Centre Ebute-metta that morning.
“I plead with the court that while we wait the trial date to allow him to be remanded in police custody,” he said.
The prosecution, however, submitted that the defendant be remanded and if there were a need for him to get medical attention, the correctional service would provide it.
Responding, Justice Ogala said the court did not have the medical report of the defendant.
“The court does not have the power to remand the defendant in police custody. If the custodial centre is served with the necessary medical report of the defendant, he should be given proper medical attention,” Ogala said.
The trial has been scheduled to commence on May 26. The alleged offences contravene the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
