Train collision: Court remands BRT driver in prison

Justice Oyindamola Ogala of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, remanded Oluwaseun Osibanjo, the driver of Lagos Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), which collided with a train at PWD, Ikeja, in Nigeria Correctional facility.

The prosecution also alleged that the defendant inflicted grievous harm on Bolanle Ogunbunmi, Ayomide Shobowale, Sarah Adeleye, Abiola Olarewaju, Esther Ekundayo, Samuel Fagbola and Ismail Bakare.
   
Others were Ayuib Arowoye, Rilwan Abdulazeez and Shiyanbola Murtala. However, the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Lekan Egberongbe, prayed the court to remand the defendant in police custody, for reasons of ill health. He told the court that the defendant was brought from the Federal Medical Centre Ebute-Metta on Tuesday morning.
   
“I plead with the court that while we wait the trial date to allow him to be remanded in police custody,” he said. The prosecution, however, submitted that the defendant be remanded and if there were a need for him to get medical attention, the correctional service would provide it.
  
Responding, Justice Ogala said the court did not have the medical report of the defendant.
   
“The court does not have the power to remand the defendant in police custody. If the custodial centre is served with the necessary medical report of the defendant, he should be given proper medical attention,” Ogala said.
  
The judge subsequently adjourned the trial to May 26, 2023, and ordered that the defendant be remanded in Nigeria Correctional Centre pending the filing and hearing of his bail application.