More trouble for dismissed soldier

Sunday Ayodeji, who was dismissed from theNigerian Army for violating Lagos State traffic laws, is not yet let off the hook.

The former lance corporal was on Thursday arraigned in court for flouting traffic laws and also assaulting traffic officerswho attempted to arrest him and tow his vehicle at the Obanikoro area of the state on June 23, following his use of the BRT lane reserved for the state buses.

Ayodeji was charged to court by the Lagos State Task Force on the Environment and Special Offence Unit before Magistrate A. O. Isaac of the Ikeja Magistrate Court 1 on a five count charge of misdemeanour and assault of traffic officers.

The first count charge read: “That you, the above named defendant, on 23 day of June, 2011, at about 8:30am, along Ikorodu Road, Obanikoro, while driving a Mercedes Benz V-Boot, with registration No. IK 507 EKY, 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.”

The second count read: “That, you the above named defendant, on the 23 day of June, at about 8:30am, procured other soldiers to unlawfully assault one Corporal Yohanna Ishaku, a policeman deployed to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Offences Unit, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 351 Criminal Code Law Cap. C 17 Vol. II Laws of Lagos State 2003 as amended.”

The third count read: “That you, the above named defendant, on the said day, drove a Mercedes Benz V-Boot, with Reg. No. IK 507 EKY, on the BRT Lite corridor and committed an offence contrary to section 2(4) BRT Regulation 2007 and punishable under section 19 (1) of same regulation.”

The fourth count charge read: “That you, the above named defendant, on the said day, while driving your car in a dangerous manner, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 28 Road Traffic Law Cap. R 10 Laws of Lagos State 2003.”

The fifth count charge read: “That you, the above named defendant, on the said day, conducted yourself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace and punishable under section 249 (d) Criminal Code Law Cap. C17 Vol. II Laws of Lagos State 2003 as amended.”

Ayodeji pleaded guilty to the third count charge but said he was not guilty of counts 1, 2, 4 and 5

Following his plea, the magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N200, 000. He was however charged with a fine of N25, 000 by the magistrate. As part of his bail conditions, the accused was asked to produce two sureties residing in the state in like sum, and also produce evidence of his tax payment.

Speaking  on the matter, Lawal Pedro, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and the Solicitor-General of the state, reiterated government’s commitment to prosecute the case to  logical conclusion, adding that if found guilty, the accused could be sentenced to jail for a period of three to seven years.