On Thursday, Jerry Ironkwe, the driver who crushed two sweepers of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, namely, 65-year-old Folashade Odufuwa and 60-year-old Ajoke Adefuye, in the Gbagada area of the state was arraigned by the Lagos state police command.
The 45-year-old mechanic [Jerry Ironkwe] was arraigned before Magistrate L.Y. Balogun sitting before a Yaba Magistrate Court on three counts bordering on reckless driving that led to the death of the two persons. The police prosecutor, Chekwubeh Okeh, told the court that the offences 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.
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 Ajoke Adefuye, aged 60 years old and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 20 of the Road Traffic Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.”
The defendant, Ironkwe, however pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.
She, however, told the police to duplicate the case file and send it to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
The case was adjourned till December 13, 2023, for DPP advice.
