Driver docked as conductor allegedly falls off bus, dies

A 25-year-old commercial bus driver, John Okoye, who allegedly drove  recklessly, causing his conductor to fall off the vehicle and die, was on Monday brought before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Okoye, who resides at Adensin Street,  Igando, a Lagos suburb, is facing a charge of manslaughter.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Uche Simeon, told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 14, 2017, at 8.00p.m., along Iyana-Iba/Igando Road, Ojo Lagos.

Simeon said that the accused, on the fateful day, drove his Volkswagen bus with Registration No. LND 374 XU in a reckless manner.

“The conductor, Matthias Nwoge, fell off the bus in motion due to the driver’s reckless driving while in a haste to carry passengers at the bus stop.

 “Nwoge was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead,” he said.

The offence contravened Section 227 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 227 stipulates life imprisonment for offenders.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty of the offence.

In his ruling, the Magistrate, Mr A. A. Adesanya, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He said one of the sureties should be a blood relation of the accused and the other a community leader or a clergy.

Adesanya adjourned the case until March 12 for mention.

NAN