The Ogun State police command yesterday [Jan. 10] arraigned a 52-year-old woman, Mrs. Kehinde Olubanke, before an Abeokuta Magistrate’s Court sitting in Isabo, for allegedly crushing a 28-year-old youth corps member to death. Olubanke was said to have committed the crime by driving and speeding dangerously in her Nissan Almera car, thereby causing the untimely death of the youth corps member identified as Egbe Ogbu, who was serving in the state.
Emmanuel further charged that Olubanke, who drove the car with a learner’s permit, was not accompanied by a licensed driver as required by law. The accused, Olubanke, who was not represented by any counsel, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge before Magistrate Martins Akinyemi.
She claimed that the late corps member, Ogbu was gripped by the fun he was enjoying in the use of his blackberry phone while crossing the road. She further said that late Ogbu had completely forgotten himself that he strayed off the footpath and suddenly landed in front of her moving car, thereby causing his death.
“Ogbu was busy pinging on the road; I did not know when he got in front of my car. I have been driving for over eight months now and I have been very careful”. Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Akinyemi, who granted the accused bail, further held that the case was that of manslaughter as there was no motive behind it.
The magistrate, who described the incident as “a very sad thing”, particularly for the family of the late Ogbu, thereafter, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
He also adjourned the matter till March 7, 2013 for further hearing.
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