Court Remands Lagos Driver Involved In Train-BRT Accident

A Lagos High Court on Tuesday remanded, Oluwaseun Osibanjo, the driver of the Lagos State Staff bus, which collided with a moving train on March 9.

Osibanjo who was arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala, is facing six counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of grievous body harm.

Both offences are contrary to Sections 224 and 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Ogala ordered that the defendant be remanded in the appropriate custodial centre, pending the filing and hearing of his bail application.

The case was adjourned to May 26, when full trial will commence.

THE WHISTLER recalls that the staff bus collided with the train at the PWD railway crossing at Ikeja and the train dragged the bus with its passengers along the tracks until it came to a halt at Sogunle area of the state.

The incident resulted in six fatalities with about 96 others with various degrees of injuries. The injured victims were hospitalised across many government hospitals in the state.

“The driver of the staff bus on the fateful day (Mr. Oluwaseun Osibanjo) was apprehended and handed over to the Police for investigation and possible prosecution by the State. At the end of investigations, the case file was forwarded to the D.P.P. for further statutory actions.

“Upon the receipt and review of the case file by the D.P.P, a prima facie case of Manslaughter, and Grievous Body Harm was disclosed against the driver of the Staff bus. Accordingly, he is to be charged with six counts of Manslaughter and 10 counts of Grievous Body Harm. Both offences are contrary to Sections 224 and 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015,” a statement by the Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Grace Alo had said in March.