‘How reckless driver caused LASTMA officer’s death in Lagos,’ Witnesses tell court

Two prosecution witnesses on Monday told the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, how reckless driving by one Elijah Shokoya caused the death of a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) in the state.

Shokoya was arraigned by the state government on charges of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly causing the death of one Olawale Akinmade on January 26.

The defendant was accused of mowing down the LASTMA officer, who was directing traffic on the Ikorodu Expressway by Demurin Junction, Ketu, Lagos, with his Opel Car with Lagos registration number AAA 74 GG.

The state’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, presented the witnesses to testify against the driver.

The first prosecution witness, Mrs. Aderonke Malik, a Traffic Superintendent with LASTMA, said she had worked with the deceased for one year as part of a team controlling traffic at Demurin junction.

Malik described Akinmade as a diligent and hardworking officer, who would rather correct erring motorists than make an arrest.

She said: “At about 7:00 p.m. on January 26, the defendant was driving to Demurin Junction towards Ketu and had stopped on the highway to drop off and pick up passengers.

“My colleague asked him to move to enable free flow of traffic and he became rude and unruly to him. He was trying to talk to the defendant because he did not want to effect an arrest.

“At that time, I was controlling traffic and I suddenly saw the defendant pushing my colleague with his vehicle.

“I ran towards him shouting stop, stop and my colleague was banging on his bonnet for him to stop.

READ ALSO: Wife of LASTMA officer killed by policeman demands scholarship for children

“The defendant did not stop until he knocked him over on the highway and he drove off.”

The LASTMA officer said she chased the fleeing driver on foot until she was picked up by a motorcyclist who joined her in the chase.

Malik added: “He fled into a closed street and was caught with the help of other motorcyclists and police officers.

“We took the defendant to the police station at Ketu/Alapere and I gave my statement and went back to the emergency hospital where my colleague was being treated.

“When I got there, they attended to him and he was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) where he was confirmed dead.”

“I want this court to put an end to the killing of LASTMA officers in the state.”

The second Prosecution Witness, ASP Mercy Ibok, told the court that she was on duty controlling traffic at the time of the incident.

She said: “After the defendant was arrested, investigations revealed that he was an unlicensed driver who had stopped at an Illegal bus stop on Ikorodu road. He was subsequently cautioned by the late LASTMA officer.”

During the police officer’s testimony, the DPP wanted to tender Shokoya’s statement to the court as evidence, but Ewonomo objected to the admissibility of the statement on the grounds that it was obtained under duress.

Justice Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the case till October 18 for the ruling.

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