Justice Oyindamola Ogala of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has been told how victims of a BRT staff bus, which collided with a train at the PWD area on March 9, 2023 were rescued.

A 38-year old Civil Servant, Ogundeji Rotimi working with Lagos Government Water Regulation Commission told the court that he woke up to see his bone on the floor.

The state government had charged the driver of the BRT staff bus, Oluwaseun Osibanjo for allegedly causing grievous harm and involuntary manslaughter by running into a moving train.

However, led-in-evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, the first prosecution witness, Rotimi told court that he joined the staff bus at Ikotun.

He said the BRT Blue colour Lagos Staff bus enroute Ikotun, Ejigbo, Jakande and ends its journey at Alausa Secretariat. Rotimi told the court that on that day of incident, the bus was coming from Ikotun and he joined them at Isolo.

“In the bus, at times the driver played music or listened to Newspaper review on the radio (Koko inu iwe iroyin). So when we got to Oshodi, I dozed off. The next is that I heard a loud shout, Ha! In less than five seconds, I stood up, I could see the train coming from the window.

“The next thing I saw was my bone on the floor. Then, I opened my eyes, and I could only see three people on the bus. The scream was very loud and I was sitting two rows behind the driver. One of the staff in the bus stood up. I told the person to pick my phone for me. So later, two men came into the bus and rescued me. He further told court that he knew a car stopped and conveyed them to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

“In LASUTH, a doctor pushed the bone back inside and surgery was done a week after.” He further told the court he did not know the total number of people that died in the accident and that the usual capacity of the bus was between 70 and 80. He was therefore cross-examined by the defence counsel, Mr. Lekan Egberongbe.

The witness confirmed to the court that he knew the bus driver as a hard working and committed person. “He had never had an accident with the bus apart from this recent one. I was sleeping when the accident happened.”

Also, a Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO), Mr. Ahmed Baruwa testified that he inspected the remnant of the BRT after it was tolled to Task Force Office in Alausa. BHe said the bus was electronically and mechanically built.

“We used the official Tecno phone, which was connected to the HP laptop and a HP Printer to make a report of our investigation.

“The driver was supposed to carry 40 passengers sitting, while 30 standing, but there were 85 passengers in the bus on that day,” he said. When he was cross-examined, the witness told court that he was not at the scene of the accident when it happened and that he was not in the forensic department of VIO.

The prosecution tendered the Lagos State VIO road inspection report and it was admitted as exhibits. Justice Ogala subsequently adjourned the case to June 16, 2023 for ruling on the defendant’s bail application and also continuation of trial.