The Nation Newspaper

Tag: manslaughter

  • Manslaughter: Truck driver, gets N500,000 bail

    A 41-year-old truck driver, Garuba Adamu, who allegedly drove his vehicle recklessly and knocked down a pedestrian, Olubukola Ajayi, was on Tuesday released on N500,000 bail on the orders of an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Y.R. Pinheiro, who gave the ruling, also granted the accused two sureties in like sum, one  of who must be a landed property owner in the state.

    Adamu, whose address is unknown, had pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of dangerous driving, driving without licence and manslaughter.

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Mathew Akhaluode, told the court that the accused drove recklessly and knocked down Ajayi, who was walking along the road.

    He said Adamu, who drove a truck with registration no. KSF 821 XM, committed the offences at about 7.00 a.m. on Feb. 7 along Ekoro Road, Abule Egba,  a Lagos suburb.

    The accused was alleged to have also damage a tricycle belonging to Abdulkarim Yahaya.

    “A team of traffic management officials rushed to the scene and took the lifeless body of the victim to the hospital.”

    The offences contravened Sections 19, 20 and 28 of the Road Traffic Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The magistrate adjourned the case to March 20 for mention.

  • Soldier sentenced to seven years imprisonment for manslaughter

    Soldier sentenced to seven years imprisonment for manslaughter

    The General Court Marshall (GCM) of 7 Division sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State, has sentenced a  soldier to seven years imprisonment for manslaughter for killing Mr. Umar Alkali at the popular Monday Market in Maiduguri on December 23, 2015.

     The unnamed soldier  was found guilty of manslaughter punishable under Section (105) of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 of the Laws of Nigeria 2004. The soldier said he acted in self-defence, claiming the deceased tried to wrestle his rifle from him. He added that he shot and killed him to save his life and that of his colleagues. The claim was set aside on the ground of use of disproportionate force.

    While dismissing the initial charge of murder levelled against the soldier, the GCM upheld the charge of manslaughter. The President of the Court, Brig.-Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, gave a detailed account of proceedings and relevant laws that guided the court in arriving at its decision.

    Another soldier (name withheld) was found guilty of one-count charge of desertion punishable under Section 60 of the Act. He was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment.

    The Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu, in August, inaugurated a General Court Marshal with the mandate of dealing with matters that might arise from activities of troops within the division’s area of responsibility and to ensure that troops work within the framework of their rules of engagement.

    While reading the rulings of Brig.-Gen. Adeniyi admonished officers and soldiers to always maintain discipline, respect for human rights and strict adherence to rules of engagement and other laws.

  • Soldier sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for manslaughter

    The General Court Marshal (GCM) of 7 Division sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State has sentenced a  soldier to seven years imprisonment for manslaughter after  shooting and killing one Mr. Umar Alkali within the popular Monday Market in Maiduguri metropolis on 23 December 2015.

     The unnamed soldier  was found guilty of manslaughter punishable under Section (105) of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 of the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004. The soldier’s plea that he acted in self defence, claiming that the deceased assaulted and tried to wrestle his rifle from him before he shot and killed him to save his life and that of his colleagues was set aside on the ground of use of disproportionate force.

    While dismissing the initial charge of murder leveled against the soldier the GCM upheld the charge of manslaughter. The President of the Court, Brigadier General Olusegun Adeniyi while delivering the verdict gave a detailed account of all the proceedings and relevant laws that guided the court at arriving at its decision.

    Another soldier (name withheld) was also found guilty of one count charge of desertion punishable under section 60 of the Act. He was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment.

    It will be recalled that the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu in August 2016 inaugurated a General Court Marshal with the mandate of dealing with matters that may arise from activities of troops within the Division’s area of responsibility and to ensure that troops work within the framework of their rules of engagement.

    While reading the rulings of the court, the President of GCM, Brigadier General Adeniyi admonished officers and soldiers to always maintain high level of discipline, respect for human rights and strict adherence to rules of engagement and other laws guiding their conducts. He maintained that  Nigerian military is known for discipline.

    With Gratitude

  • Civil servant accused of manslaughter

    43-year-old civil servant, Akindele Fatai, was yesterday charged before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly killing a motorcyclist with a car.

    Fatai is facing a two-count charge of reckless driving and manslaughter.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Joseph Ajebe, said the accused committed the crime on May 14 around 11.30 p.m. at Jonathan Coker Road, New Oko-Oba, Agege area of Lagos.

    He said that the accused drove one Toyota Camry marked FJK 249 BP on a public highway in a dangerous and reckless way.

    “The victim, one Yusufu-Sule Abraham, was riding his motorcycle while the accused, speeding uncontrollably, hit his victim from the rear.

    “The victim who sustained serious injuries all over his body was rushed to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) by a team of traffic officials where he was pronounced dead,” he said.

    Ajebe said that the offences contravened Sections 19 and 20 of Road Traffic Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Alexander Komolafe granted the accused N200,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

    Komolafe said the sureties must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    He said the sureties must also be blood relations of the accused and have genuine means of livelihood.

    The chief magistrate also ordered that the case file should be duplicated and sent to the State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

    He then adjourned the case till June 20 pending the receipt of the legal advice from the DPP’s

  • Bus driver held for manslaughter

    A 46-year-old bus driver, Rowland Okwuidegbe, has been arrested by the police for allegedly knocking down a woman suspected to be mentally ill.

    The Nation learnt that the woman, whose name and family details are unknown, was usually seen appearing to be speaking to herself while roaming around Victoria Island in Lagos.

    She was killed instantly on the night of April 4, on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, when a Volkswagen bus, allegedly driven by Okwuidegbe, ran into her.

    Passers-by reported the accident to the police at the Victoria Island Division and he was arrested and arraigned Wednesday at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Okwuidegbe, whose address was not given, is standing trial on a charge bordering on manslaughter.

    Prosecuting Sergeant T. O. Tubi told the court presided over by Mrs. O. M. Ajayi that the defendant committed the alleged offence on April 4, at 9:30 pm, on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island.

    He alleged that the defendant, “being the driver in charge of a Volkswagen bus with registration No. FKJ 837 XM drove dangerously on a highway and without care to road users.

    “The defendant’s dangerous driving caused the death of a woman whose name is yet unknown”.

    The prosecutor added that the offence contravened Section 20 of the Road Traffic Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

    The defendant denied the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in the like sum.

    The sureties must be tax compliant and have verified addresses.

    The case was adjourned till April 20 for mention.

     

  • Police Corporal jailed six years for manslaughter

    Police Corporal jailed six years for manslaughter

    A Trigger-happy policeman, Corporal Abang Okon, was yesterday sentenced to six years imprisonment by an Ikeja High Court in Lagos.

    Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya found Okon guilty for the unlawful killing of Olalekan Ajayi.

    Okon was convicted after he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.

    Okon was arraign before Justice Ogunsanya on April 1 for firing the shot that killed Olalekan.

    The incident, according to the prosecutor, Adebayo Haroun, occured at the Ladega area of Ikorodu, Lagos.

    The defendant, who initially pleaded not guilty, changed it to guilty following a plea bargain with the prosecution.

    yesterday, Haroun told the court that the defendant has changed his plea.

    He urged the court to approve the guilt plea as involuntary manslaughter.

    In his judgment, Justice Ogunsanya adopted a part of the plea bargain, saying:

    “The defendant having shown remorse for his actions on August 28, 2013 along Ladega Junction, Ikorodu, Lagos by negligently firing a bullet at one Olalekan Ajayi which resulted in his death hereby pleads guilty to the offence of involuntary manslaughter contrary to section 222 of the criminal law.

    “The defendant is hereby sentenced to six years imprisonment to take effect from the date of his remand in prison custody.”

    The judge turned down other parts of the plea bargain which recommended that the defendant should serve a six-hour community service thruough environmental sanitation as part of his punishment.

    Justice Ogunsanya also turned down the part which recommended that the defendant should be responsible for paying the tuition fees of one of the deceased’s children from primary to secondary school.

  • Two charged with manslaughter

    An  Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos  has ordered that two men – Mathew Imeh (25) and Aliu Salisu (29)  be remanded at the  Ikoyi prison following their arraignment on a  two count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    The accused allegedly  conspired to  kill 52 year old Rafiu Baale at Aiye Junction,Mushin /Isolo road on May 7,2015 at about 11am.

    They were said to have pushed  the deceased onto the path of  an on-coming truck  that crushed him to death  in contravention of  Sections 221 and 231 of the criminal law of Lagos state.

    Their plea was not taken.

    Police prosecutor  Elizabeth Ekuma,an Assistant Superintedent of Police (ASP)  asked  the court to remand the accused in prison custody  pending legal advice from the office of the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    The presiding Magistrate O.A. Komolafe turned down the bail application of the defense counsel and ordered that the duo be  remanded pending legal advice.

    The case was  adjourned till  August 19.

  • ‘Corporate manslaughter to attract severe punishment’

    Should it become law, corporate manslaughter will soon attract severe punishment.

    The Senate yesterday held a public hearing on “a Bill for an Act to create the offence of corporate manslaughter and matters incidental thereto.”

    The Bill was sponsored by Senator Pius Ewherido (Delta Central) after the Dana plane crash on June 3 last year.

    Senate President David Mark, noted that when the Bill becomes law, any act of corporate manslaughter will attract severe punishment.

    Represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba at the occasion, Mark recalled that the Bill generated robust intellectual debate during its second reading.

    He described it as novel, saying that it should be treated as such.

    He lamented that for a long time, corporate organisations have been shielded from punishment for acts of criminal negligence.

    Mark noted that the Bill encompassed the criminal law, jurisprudence and the law of tort

    He said: “It is not meant to reinvent the wheel, it is a Bill that will rewrite the criminal and penal codes to create the new offence of corporate manslaughter.”

     

  • Man, 18, charged with manslaughter

    An 18-year-old man, Ganiyu Nurudeen, has been arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate Court Lagos for alleged manslaughter.

    The teenager was said to have stabbed his friend, Ganiyu Okoya to death with a broken bottle during a fight.

    Although Police Prosecutor Adenike Abdul charged him with murder, Magistrate M.O. Tanimola held that it was manslaughter since the duo were fighting.

    Abdul told the court that the offence which contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011, was committed on December 2, last year, at Ogombo, about 10:30pm.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    The teenager told the court that trouble started after the deceased approached him to allow him sleep in the shop he (the defendant) was looking after.

    He said: “He (the deceased) came to me and said I should give him my shop key that he wanted to sleep there.

    “I told him I cannot give him since it was not my shop and I was only asked to look after it.

    “Angered that I did not give him the key, he started pushing me and that was how we started fighting. People later seperated us and they asked him to go.

    “He later came back to my shop and hit me with a plank on one of my arms and the fight started again and neighbours came out to seperate us for the second time.

    “They warned him to go and leave me alone. I thought it was over only for him to come back again to attack me.

    “He hit me with the plank the second time and I got angry so, I turned around, saw the bottle and pierced him with it.

    “When I saw that he was bleeding, I called people to help me rush him to the hospital. I did not know he was going to die and did not even want to fight with him.”

    Magistrate Tanimola granted the teenager N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum each.

    She said the sureties must be blood relations, gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payment.

    Adjourning the matter to January 29, Tanimola ordered that the case file be duplicated to the Director, Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.