BRT violation: Dismissed soldier arraigned, granted bail

By Olasunkomi Akoni

LAGOS-An Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos, yesterday, granted bail to the detained 32-year-old, Army Lance Corporal, Sunday Ayodeji, who was recently dismissed from service for alleged violation of the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT laws and engaging in civil disorder.

It will be recalled that Ayodeji, along with others still at large, last week Wednesday, clashed with policemen attached to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit at Obanikoro area, along Ikorodu Road, while resisting arrest for driving his car on BRT lane against the law establishing the corridor.

Ayodeji was arraigned on a five-count charge. He pleaded guilty to the third count charge of driving on the BRT corridor, but not guilty to the other charges.

The dismissed soldier was brought in handcuffs to court in the taskforce’s SUV with the number plate CE 995 FST.

Part of the charges against him read: “That you, on June 23, 2011 at about 8:30am, along Ikorodu Road, Obanikoro, while driving your car, unlawfully assaulted one Utos Jirhevwe, a driver, attached to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit and caused him serious harm on the head with iron chain and spanner and committed an offence contrary to, and punishable under Section 355 Criminal Code Law Cap. C17 Vol. II, Laws of Lagos State 2003 as amended.

“That you, on the said day, drove a car on the BRT corridor and committed an offence contrary to Section 2(4) BRT Regulation 2007 and punishable under Section 19 (1) of same regulation.

“That you on the said day, procured other soldiers to unlawfully assault one Corporal Yohanna Ishaku, a policeman deployed to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Offences Unit and committed an offence contrary to, and punishable under Section 351 Criminal Code Law Cap.”