On Tuesday, the Ikeja Division of the Lagos High Court remanded the Lagos State Staff bus driver, Oluwaseun Osibanjo, for running into a moving train, causing grievous harm and involuntary manslaughter to the passengers.
According to the prosecution, he ignored warning signals and ran into an oncoming train, resulting in the death of OreOluwa Aina, Tolulope Emmanuel, Olayinka Rokosu, Ganiyat Salaudeen, Lasisi Isah, and Victoria Dada.
He was also accused of causing grievous harm to Bolanle Ogunbunmi, Ayomide Shobowale, Sarah Adeleye, Abiola Olarewaju, Esther Ekundayo, Samuel Fagbola, Ismail Bakare, Ayuib Arowoye, Rilwan Abdulazeez, and Shiyanbola Murtala.
As a result of these allegations, Mr Osibanjo was arraigned on a 16-count charge of involuntary manslaughter and grievous harm. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the court hearing, the director of public prosecution, Babajide Martins, requested a trial date and for Mr Osibanjo to be remanded in prison custody. The defence counsel, Lekan Egberongbe, requested that the defendant be remanded in police custody for health reasons, as he had been brought from the Federal Medical Centre Ebute-metta that morning.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala ordered that Mr Osibanjo be remanded in an appropriate custodial centre until the filing and hearing of his bail application.
The judge also advised that if the custodial centre is served with the necessary medical report of the defendant, he should be given proper medical attention.
The trial has been scheduled to commence on May 26. The alleged offences contravene the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
