2nd February, 2016
Cyriacus Izuekwe
A 31-year-old commuter bus driver has been arrested and charged before a Magistrates’ court sitting in Ejigbo for allegedly battering an officer of Lagos State Transport Management Authority, LASTMA, in Lagos State, western Nigeria.
The driver, Ikechukwu Chukwuemeka and nine others now at large allegedly assauted Jinadu Bashiru and in the process allegedly knocked off one of his teeth.
The incident happened along Akowonjo road near the Akowonjo roundabout where Bashiru was performing his lawfull duty.
P.M.NEWS gathered that Chukwuemeka loaded his bus and allowed some passengers to hang on the door of the bus while he was driving.
When he got to where Bashiru was performing his duty, Chukwuemeka was stopped and asked why he was contravening the law by allowing commuters to hang on his bus.
Chukwuemeka stopped and got down from the driver’s seat and allegedly grabbed Bashiru and started beating him for wasting his time.
It was also alleged that other suspects who are now at large also joined Chukwuemeka to beat Bashiru to a pulp.
P.M.NEWS gathered that Bashiru was thrown on the ground and in the process lost one of his teeth before they left him and Chukwuemeka drove off.
Bashiru was taken to a hospital where he is still receiving treatment.
The matter was reported to the police at Shasha division and the police trailed Chukwuemeka and arrested him.
At the station, Chukwuemeka denied that he was involved in assaulting Bashiru and refused to provide other suspects who joined him to commit the crime.
Chukwuemeka was charged to court with conspiracy and serious assault under the Criminal Code.
He pleaded not guilty.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs J. O. E. Adeyemi granted Chukwuemeka bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He was remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri pending when he will perfect his bail condition.
The matter was adjourned till 8 Febuary, 2016.