17th September, 2020
By Okafor Ifiebor
A Magistrate Court sitting in Choba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers has ordered the remand of one Deinye Dappa, who claimed to be a member of National Union of Road Transport Workers Enforcement Team, accused of triggering an accident involving a 13 -year-old JSS 3 student, Jemma Etop, at Ozuoba axis of Port Harcourt.
The defendant was arraigned in court by the Rivers State Police Command on a two-count charge.
Dappa, had on September 9, allegedly tried to hijack the steering wheel of a car from the driver, one Mr. Augustine Okoro.
In the ensuing struggle between the driver and the NURTW official, the car, according to eyewitnesses, veered off the road and knocked down Etop, who was returning home after taking a Junior WAEC exam.
The Presiding Magistrate, Chief Magistrate Israel Agbaesor, granted bail to Augustine Okoro, the car driver and adjourned the case to 3 December, 2020 for Dappa to take his plea.
Meanwhile, Bassey Etop, the father of the accident victim, told journalists shortly after the court proceeding that while he thanked God that his son survived the accident, he was dissatisfied with the way police officers have been handling investigation of the matter.
He alleged that the Police at the Ozuoba Police station in Obio Akpor local government area of the state have made things difficult for his family since the case came up, as he is being constantly asked to pay money.
He, however, commended the judiciary for a job well done.
Meanwhile, the accident victims is said to be battling for survival after sustaining life threatening injuries during the accident at a Port Harcourt based hospital.
It was also gathered that officers of Ozuoba Police Division are now interrogating one of other suspect apprehended by members of the public who were eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident.