Police drop charge of manslaughter against female banker

By EVELYN USMAN & BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

…As court grants her bail over traffic offence
LAGOS—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.