Police arraign driver who crushed LAWMA sweepers

The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned a 45-year-old mechanic, Jerry Ironkwe, who crushed two sweepers of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, namely, 65-year-old Folashade Odufuwa and 60-year-old Ajoke Adefuye, in the Gbagada area of the state on Monday, November 13.

Ironkwe was contracted by the owner of the Honda car he was driving to fix a mechanical fault. He was reportedly being chased by some criminals when he rammed into the deceased women at their duty post by the roadside, killing them on the spot. He fled the scene after the incident but later turned himself in.

Ironkwe was on Thursday, November 16 arraigned before Magistrate L.Y. Balogun sitting before a Yaba Magistrate Court on three counts bordering on reckless driving that led to the death of the two persons. The police prosecutor, Chekwubeh Okeh, told the court that the offences are punishable under Sections 18(1) and 20 of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

The charges read,

“That you, Jerry Ironkwe, on November 13, 2023, around 7.30 am at Charley Boy Bus Stop, along the Gbagada Expressway, Lagos in the Yaba Magisterial District, being the driver in charge of one Honda Accord Saloon Car with Reg. No. EPE 984 DV, drove same in a dangerous manner to the public, without due care and attention, or reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(1) of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

That you, Jerry Ironkwe, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, dangerously drove the same vehicle to the public and caused the death of one Folashade Odufuwa, aged 65 years old, drove the same vehicle to the public, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20 of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

That you, Jerry Ironkwe, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, dangerously drove the same vehicle to the public and caused the death of one Ajoke Adefuye, aged 60 years old and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 20 of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.”

When the charges were read to him, Ironkwe pleaded not guilty. The magistrate thereafter admitted him to bail in the sum of N1m with two responsible sureties in like sum.

She, however, told the police to duplicate the case file and send it to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

She adjourned the case till December 13, 2023, for DPP advice.

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