The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Omininikoron, was accused of the murder of his 22-year-old passenger, Oluwabamise Ayanwola, on Thursday told the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square denied the allegations.
Omininikoron, who was testifying on his behalf, pointed accusing fingers at three other unidentified passengers as the culprits.
He claimed in his testimony before the trial judge, Justice Sherifat Shonaike, that it was the three male passengers who allegedly boarded his bus after official hours that raped the deceased and later threw her off the vehicle at gunpoint.
The Lagos State government had arraigned the defendant before the court on a four-count charge of conspiracy, murder, and two counts of rape.
The prosecutor has insisted that the offences are contrary to and punishable under Sections 411,223,260 and 165 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
While Being led in evidence by his lawyers, Abayomi Omotubora, the defendant said that when they arrived at their destination, the officers’ told him to tell the truth about what happened so he would set him free.
Ominikoron testified that he narrated what had happened on the fateful day, but the police boss said he would do his findings and then took him to the torture room, cuffed his leg and hand and put a pipe in between.
According to him, they told me I had kidnapped someone, and I said no, but they refused to believe me. I was still being tortured, and I pleaded that the pain was much and unbearable, and then I passed out.
When his counsel asked if he had evidence of torture, Ominikoron showed his fingers and said his appearance was not how he used to be, adding that the former DCP from Ikoyi custodian centre had at a point ordered an inmate to deal with him to get information from him that the Lagos State Governor demanded it.
During cross-examination, the director of public prosecution, Dr Babajide Martins, asked the defendant if he could confirm he rode the bus with code 240257 on the day of the incident, and he said yes.
He agreed that he was trained before he became a driver in the company that in the case of any incident, he should call the office for assistance, sign out after he has packed his vehicle and fill out a complaint form in the event of an incident.
He also agreed that he didn’t do any of these.
After his training, what was the company’s directive when there was an incident? He answered that he was told that whatever happens when they should call the office for assistance on whatever happens during official duty; he added that they were also told to lay their complaint with the depot manager.
Martins asked,” On the first two dates, did you lay a complaint to your depot manager, he answered, “No, I didn’t have a problem with anyone.
“On February 26, 2022, I didn’t make a report or call the office to tell them what had happened. The only problem I had in my 20 years of driving was on February 26, 2022; I was afraid that’s why.
“So you packed that day and left without telling anyone. “yes,” he answered.
When you returned to work on Monday, did you make a formal complaint or complain to anyone? No, I was afraid.
When you were called to explain, you disappeared, ..”I was afraid because I thought they had gone to bring the police.
“Who’s Kayode Aluko,” He’s my manager. “
“So there is no malice between you both, and he has no reason to come and misrepresent facts in his evidence…”I don’t know his mind”, he said. I asked if the bus he rode that night had a closed-circuit television (CCTV), and he said no.
The judge had adjourned the case to November 29 to hear the evidence of two other defence witnesses.
