Osun court remands driver over OAU final year student’s death

A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, yesterday remanded a driver who allegedly crushed a final year student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Esu Rita Ema to death.

The driver, Lasisi Sodiq was arraigned by Osun State Police Command on a six-count charge bordering on driving without licence, road worthiness and causing the death of the female undergraduate.

According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Akintunde Jacob, while driving a Lexus car, the driver caused the death of Ema on August 22, opposite OAU main gate in Ile-Ife.

Part of the charge reads: “That you, Lasisi Sodiq, residing at No 25, Ita Osun Area, Ile Ile, Osun State, on August 22, at about 10.30a.m, opposite O.A.U Main Campus, under pedestrian Bridge, Ife/Ibadan Road Ile- Ife, Osun State, in Ile-Ife Magisterial district being the driver in charge of a Lexus car with Reg. No. ABUJA ABJ 427 LQ, drove the same vehicle on the public highway in a manner which was dangerous, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 18 of Cap 146 Vol.2 law of Osun of Nigeria 2002.

“That you, Lasisi Sodiq on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district being the driver in charge of aforementioned vehicle drove the same on the public highway without drivers licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 7 of RTL, VOL 6, CAP 115 laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

“That on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district, being the driver in charge of aforementioned vehicle drove the same on the public highway in a manner which caused the death of Late Esu Ema, student of Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) lle-Ife Osun State and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 27 of RTA CAP 543 laws of Nigeria.”

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations. Consequently, the defendant’s counsel, Leke Dada, applied for his bail, but Magistrate, A. O. Sarumi asked the defence to furnish the court with a formal bail application.

Sarumi, thereafter, ordered that Sodiq be remanded in the Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter to October 2, for mention. The final year student of the Department of Foreign Languages, with Matriculation Number: FRM/2019/041 was said to be going to the campus to submit her final year project to her supervisor, before she was crushed while crossing the Ife – Ibadan axis of road at the campus gate.