Driver Bags 27 Months Imprisonment

An Abuja Chief Magistrates’ Court recently  sentenced Godwin Attah to 27 months imprisonment for causing the death of Joseph Kalu by dangerous driving.

Our correspondent reports that the convict, a staff of Bankers Warehouse, Wuse 11, Abuja, was first arraigned before the court on November  21, 2009.

It was recalls that the convict had then pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Police prosecutor, Ahmed Mohammed had told the court back in 2009 that the convict drove a bullion van with registration No. BK 957 EPE, belonging to his employer.

Mohammed said the convict drove dangerously along Ahmadu Bello Way, Maitama without due care and attention, adding that he also failed to obey traffic sign placed at the junction.

He said the convict ran into a Honda CRV jeep with registration No. EH 195 ABJ and driven by one George Ugoh of Kubwa, Abuja.

He further said that the convict also ran into another Peugeot car with registration No. AA 449 GWA and driven by Joseph Kalu of State Security Service (SSS), Abuja.

Mohammed told the court that the three vehicles involved in the accident got badly damaged, while Kalu and one of the occupants of the car, Dorothy Christopher sustained serious injuries.

He listed others, who sustained injuries in the accident as Eze Ngekwe, George Uzoh and one Amarachi.

The prosecutor said victims of the accident were rushed to the Wuse General Hospital, while Kalu later died in the hospital.

He said the offence of causing death by dangerous driving, careless and inconsiderate driving and reckless driving contravened Sections 27, 29 and 28 of the Road Traffic Act (RTA).

Delivering judgment recently, Chief Magistrate Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo found the convict guilty of the three-count charge and accordingly sentenced him.

Oyeyipo sentenced the convict to 18 months imprisonment without an option of fine for causing death by dangerous driving, and six months imprisonment and N400 fine for reckless driving.

The convict was also sentenced to three months imprisonment and N200 fine for the offence of careless and inconsiderate driving.

Oyeyipo, however, said that the sentence would run concurrently.