On Tuesday, an Ikeja High Court remanded Oluwaseun Osibanjo, a driver of a Lagos State staff bus, for allegedly causing grievous harm and involuntary manslaughter to passengers by running into a moving train. Justice Oyindamola Ogala ordered that Osibanjo be remanded in a custodial centre pending the filing and hearing of his bail application. The case was adjourned until May 26 for the commencement of trial.
Osibanjo was arraigned on a 16-count-charge bordering on involuntary manslaughter and grievous harm, but he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution, led by Dr. Babajide Martins, the Director of Public Prosecution, requested the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility. Martins told the court that the defendant committed the offences on March 9 at about 7:00 a.m. on Shogunle Level Crossing, Ikeja.
The prosecution alleged that the defendant ignored warning signals and ran into an incoming train, negligently killing OreOluwa Aina, Tolulope Emmanuel, Olayinka Rokosu, Ganiyat Salaudeen, Lasisi Isah, and Victoria Dada. In addition, the defendant was accused of inflicting grievous harm on Bolanle Ogunbunmi, Ayomide Shobowale, Sarah Adeleye, Abiola Olarewaju, Esther Ekundayo, Samuel Fagbola, Ismail Bakare, Ayuib Arowoye, Rilwan Abdulazeez, and Shiyanbola Murtala.
According to Martins, the alleged offences contravened the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. The defence counsel, Mr Lekan Egberongbe, prayed the court to remand the defendant in police custody due to his health reasons.
However, the judge stated that the court did not have the medical report of the defendant and that the court did not have the power to remand the defendant at the police custody. Justice Ogala advised that if the custodial centre is served with the necessary medical report of the defendant, he should be given proper medical attention.
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