A House of Assembly member representing Oluyole Federal Constituency, Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, has urged the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident that led to a life-threatening injury to one Raji Idris in May.
The victim was said to have been taken to the Frontida Clinic where it was confirmed that he suffered trauma to his brain.
Akande-Sadipe, in a statement made available to journalists, said there was need to investigate the activities of Sanyo Police Station, Ibadan on the incident, lamenting that the victim was knocked down by a drunk driver identified as Dele Ayanjompe.
According to her, Idris underwent a major surgery to increase his chances of survival after which he remained in a coma for weeks.
Recovery is expected to take months for the victim with his medical bill to date put at over N4.5million.
The Reps member berated the Divisional Police Officer and the Investigating Police Officer at Sanyo Police Station, who she alleged of colluding with the driver and urged the Inspector General of Police to investigate the activities of the personnel at the station.
She also appealed to the House Committee on Police to step in so as to ensure that the suspect dpes not go unpunished for his recklessness.
She said, “I am disturbed that while the victim battles for his life, the driver who hit him has been released by the Divisional Police Officer at Sanyo Police Station without pressing any charge. The Investigating Police Officer, Sergeant Muritala, has allegedly colluded with the driver.”
Making reference to the provision of Section 18(1) of the Road Traffic Act that states that it is an offense for a person to drive a motor vehicle on a highway recklessly or negligently or in a manner dangerous to the public, she said the offender must not go unpunished.
In addition, she said appropriate action must be taken in line with Section 343(1) of the Criminal Code, which states that “any person who rides a vehicle so rash or negligent as to endanger human life or to be likely to cause harm to another person is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for at least one year.”
Akande-Sadipe, who doubles as the Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, wondered why the driver had not been charged to court, saying, “Considering the law states that suspects in such cases should be charged to court for a magistrate to determine his innocence or guilt and the applicable punishment given, the Sanyo Police Station has violated the law and compromised the case by granting bail to the suspect without any charges under the premise that the victim’s father signed a bond not to press charges.”
