1st February, 2024
By Itohan Abara-Laserian
Ketu Asikpata, the driver of a truck carrying the container that fell on a bus and killed nine people in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos on January 2023 was on Thursday arraigned in court for the involuntary manslaughter of nine people.
Akipata was arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala Ikeja High Court on a nine-count charge of involuntary manslaughter contrary to Section 224 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Lagos State counsel, Mr Ola Azeez, had told the court that Asikpata committed the offence on Jan. 29, 2023, on Ojuelegba Bridge, inward Fadeyi, Lagos State.
Azeez said that the defendant, on the said date, recklessly drove a Mack truck with Reg. No. KJA 380 XD.
He said that the truck was carrying a container.
According to him, the defendant drove the truck with negligence and disregard for other road users thus making the container fall on a Suzuki mini-bus with Reg. No. KTU 921 YD.
The prosecutor said that the accident caused the death of nine people, who he mentioned as Felix Ifeanyi, Blessing Okwuma, Basirat King, Emeka Okoli, Ifeyinwa Okoli; Chidiebube Okoli, Ifechukwu Okoli, Abdulrahman Wahab and Kamorudeen Garara.
Askpata, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Azeez prayed for a trial date in view of the defendant’s not guilty plea.
The judge ordered remand of the defendant in a custodial facility, and adjourned the case until Feb. 12 for trial.
(NAN)