Street sweepers’ death: Court grants killer driver bail

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The driver of the vehicle who killed two sweepers of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway has been granted bail by the Magistrate Court sitting in Yaba, Lagos State.

The driver, 45-year old Jerry Ironkwe, a vehicle mechanic who turned himself in to the police after the incident was arraigned by the police before Magistrate L.Y. Balogun last Thursday on three count charges bordering on reckless driving that led to the death of the two persons.

Ironkwe, the defendant was granted bail by the magistrate after pleading not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the Police.
On the basis of his plea, Balogun admitted him to bail in the sum of N1 million with two responsible sureties in like sum.

The two sweepers’ are identified as 65-year-old Folashade Odufuwa and 60-year-old Ajoke Adefuye, in the Gbagada area of the state.

The magistrate however directed the police to duplicate the case file and send it to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice and adjourned the case till December 13, 2023.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Chekwubeh Okeh, holding a brief for Haruna Magaji, told the court that the defendant committed the crime on November 13, 2023, around 7.30 am at the Charley Boy Bus Stop, along Gbagada Expressway.

According to Okeh, the offences contravened and are punishable under Sections 18(1) and 20 of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

The charges read, “That you, Jerry Ironkwe, on November 13, 2023, around 7.30 am at Charley Boy Bus Stop, along the Gbagada Expressway, Lagos in the Yaba Magisterial District, being the driver in charge of one Honda Accord Saloon Car with Reg. No. EPE 984 DV, drove same in a dangerous manner to the public, without due care and attention, or reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(1) of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

“That you, Jerry Ironkwe, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, dangerously drove the same vehicle to the public and caused the death of one Folashade Odufuwa, aged 65 years old, drove the same vehicle to the public, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20 of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.”