Traffic Rule Violation: Court Slams N.1m Bail On Driver

A driver, Balogun Olawale,
last Thursday appeared before an Apapa Senior Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, charged with driving against traffic.
Olawale, 34, who resides at Kirikiri Road, Apapa, is facing a two-count charge of driving against the traffic and damage to property.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Uche Simon, told the court that the accused committed the offences last October 2, 2013 at Berger Suya on Kirikiri Road, Apapa.
He said the accused drove his articulated vehicle against the traffic and damaged one pick-up van marked FKJ 165 XE, belonging to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
“Olawale drove a trailer marked XX 843 LND against traffic without regard for other road users and damaged the car,’’ he said.
Simon noted that the offences contravened Sections 18 (1) and 28 (1) of the Road Traffic Act, Laws of Lagos State, 2012.
Olawale, however, denied the charges.
In his ruling, the Senior Magistrate, Mr M. K. Fadeyi, granted the accused a bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum.
He said the surety must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.
The case was adjourned to January 31 for mention.
In another development , a Kubwa Upper Area Court in Abuja last Thursday sentenced a 45-year-old commercial driver, Nwite Ubasinachi, to six months imprisonment for picking up passengers on the highway.
The presiding judge, Alhaji Lawal Munir, sentenced Ubasinachi after he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of causing obstruction on the public highway.
Munir, however, gave the convict an option of N3,000 fine.
“In sentencing you, the court puts into consideration your plea for leniency and the court also takes notice that you are appearing before it for the first time.
“As a first-time offender, who admitted committing the offence, the court will be lenient,” he said.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl. Ariki Kaura, had told the court that on January 20, the police patrol team arrested Ubasinachi of Bazango Kubwa.
Kaura said the convict was arrested on the Gwarinpa-Kubwa expressway by FCDA Junction at Dutse-Alhaji.
“Ubasinachi parked his Toyota Hiace bus with registration No XF 967 CWA on a public highway to pick up passengers, thereby causing obstruction,’’ he said.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the Road Traffic Act.
He urged the court to summarily sentence Ubasinachi in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code since he had pleaded guilty to the charge.