The driver of the ill-fated Lagos State Staff bus, Oluwaseun Osibanjo, has been remanded for allegedly running into a moving train, causing grievous harm and involuntary manslaughter to the passengers.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos on Tuesday ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison pending the filing and hearing of his bail application, while he also adjourned the case until May 26.
The driver pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge bordering on involuntary manslaughter and grievous harm.
The prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins, had prayed the court for a trial date as well as for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility.
According to Martins, the offence was committed at the Shogunle Level Crossing, Ikeja on March 9 at about 7:00am.
The prosecutor told the court that Oreoluwa Aina, Tolulope Emmanuel, Olayinka Rokosu, Ganiyat Salaudeen, Lasisi Isah and Victoria Dada died as a result of the accident caused by the driver’s disobedience of the warning signals.
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The prosecution also alleged that the defendant inflicted grievous harm on Bolanle Ogunbunmi, Ayomide Shobowale, Sarah Adeleye, Abiola Olarewaju, Esther Ekundayo, Samuel Fagbola and Ismail Bakare.
Others, he said, were Ayuib Arowoye, Rilwan Abdulazeez and Shiyanbola Murtala.
According to him, the alleged offences contravened the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Due to the defendant’s health issues, the defence counsel, Mr Lekan Egberongbe, prayed the court to remand the defendant in police custody.
“The defendant was brought 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, however, said that 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