Contrary
to claims by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, that a
female banker, Mrs Yinka Johnson, crushed one of its officials to death while
driving against traffic last Friday on Lekki/Ajah Expressway, the police,
apparently satisfied from their investigation that she did not commit the
crime, only charged her for driving against traffic, thereby confirming
Vanguard’s story that she was exonerated on the charge.
Also,
the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos where she was charged for
traffic offence, yesterday, granted her bail, after spending four days in
police custody.
Operatives
at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, charged the banker for
driving against traffic, at the end of the investigation.
The
magistrate, Mr. Jacob Adegun, granted the 35-year-old banker bail in the sum
N50,000 with one surety in like sum, after having pleaded not guilty on a one
count charge of reckless driving against traffic.
Police
prosecutor, Inspector Agoi Oluwagbemileke, told the court that Mrs. Johnson was
arrested on August 10 at 8.30 a.m. at Mega Chicken area of Ikota in
Lekki, Lagos, for recklessly driving a Range Rover Sports Utility Van,
with number-plate CY 276 LSD.
According to
the prosecutor, the defendant was caught driving on a one way traffic without
reasonable consideration for other road users, adding that the offence is
punishable under Section 29 (1) of the Lagos State Road Traffic Laws of 2003.
He said:
“The accused refused to obey government officials who tried to stop her from
taking the road.” But, defence counsel, led by Mr. Emeka Okpoko, however, urged
the court to grant her bail, arguing that traffic offences were bailable.
Okpoko urged
the court to grant her bail in liberal terms since the gravity of the offence
was not severe, saying that the defendant, being a banker and a nursing mother,
will not abandon her job.
He further
told the court that the defendant would always be available to attend court
proceedings. Contrary to some publications, Okpoko said the charge before the
court showed that the defendant was not the one that killed the LASTMA
official.
The case has
been adjourned till September 5, for mention.
Meanwhile,
some eye- witnesses, who claimed to have witnessed the incident last Friday,
were present at the court premises, and when the lady was granted bail,
they all went wild in jubilation, asserting that at least justice had
prevailed.