NYSC member crushed to death while pinging

A 28-year-old youth corps member was crushed to death on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. Egbe Ogbu, who had almost completed his national service year was said to have been hit by a car driven by a 52-year-old woman, Kehinde Olubanke.

The police, while arraigning Olubanke in an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court yesterday said the incident occurred while she was driving along the Ogun Secretariat Complex Road, Oke-Mosan area of the state capital. The prosecutor, Inspector Annabel Emmanuel told the court that the accused drove her Nissan Almera car, sped dangerously and caused the untimely death of the corps member.

The police inspector further told the court that although, Olubanke drove her car as a learner with a permit, she failed to have a licensed driver beside her, as stipulated by the law. While opposing the accused application for bail, the police prosecutor argued that she should rather be charged with murder.

According to him, the offence was contrary to and punishable under Sections 325 and 18 vol. 4 and 19 (12) (iii) Road Traffic Regulations Vol. 4 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.

However, Olubanke, who was not represented by a counsel pleaded not guilty to the charge of manslaughter.

She claimed that the incident occurred because the late corps member forgot himself completely and suddenly strayed in front of her moving car on the road.

The accused further alleged that Ogbu was so engrossed in the usage of his Blackberry phone, while crossing the road. Her words: “Ogbu was busy pinging on the road. I did not know when he got in front of my car. I have been driving for over eight months now and I have been very careful,” she said.

In his ruling, the Magistrate, Martins Akinyemi said though the case was pathetic, it would still be treated as manslaughter and not murder because there was no motive behind the offence. Said Akinyemi: “It is a very sad thing, particularly for the family of the boy who would graduate from being a corps member in a couple of months.”

While adjourning further hearing to March 7, the magistrate granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum

culled from the sun