Yinka Johnson, the banker who was accused of killing Hammed Balogun, an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) last month in Ajah has been re-arraigned on a revised charge of reckless driving as against manslaughter which was earlier considered by prosecutors.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, the Police prosecutor, Chukwu Agwu, requested that the accused be prosecuted under the recently passed new traffic law other than the former Lagos State Road Traffic Law of 2003.
The charge read: “That you Yinka Johnson ‘on August 10, at about 8:30am at Mega Chicken, Ikota Ajah expressway Lekki, Lagos did drive your Land Rover Jeep with registration No- CY 276 LSD on the highway recklessly by driving your vehicle against oncoming vehicle and without reasonable consideration for other road users and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 7(b) of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law 2012.”
The defense lawyer, Emeka Okpoko objected to the request for change citing the announcement by the Lagos State Government to allow a period of grace for the proper enlightenment of Lagos road users of the intricacies of the new traffic before enforcement.
His objection was however overruled by the presiding magistrate, Jacob Adegun, who admitted the prosecutor’s request to prosecute the accused under the newly passed law.
Reports say the accused person was however granted bail on the earlier conditions while the Magistrate adjourned the case till 28 September for mention.
Yinka Johnson was arrested for running over a LASTMA official while allegedly driving against traffic along Lekki-Ajah Expressway.
Eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident however say that the official was hit by a Danfo driver and not the banker whose car was stationary when the incident happened.