Bus-train collision: Lagos Govt to file manslaughter, grievous body harm charges against driver

The Lagos State Government says it will file a six-count charge of manslaughter and 10 counts of grievous body harm against the driver of the staff bus which collided with a train at the PWD railway crossing on March 9.

Both offences are contrary to Sections 224 and 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The office of the Director of Public Affairs in the state’s Ministry of Justice, made the disclosure in a statement on Friday.

He said the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Jide Martins, reviewed the case file and established a prima facie case of manslaughter, and grievous body harm against the driver of the staff bus.

It would be recalled that on the morning of March 9, a LASG staff bus collided with a train at the PWD railway crossing in the Ikeja Local Government Area (LGA).

The speed and impact caused the train to push the bus with its passengers along several metres of the rail until it came to a stop at Sogunle, a suburb of Ikeja, Lagos State.

“The horrific incident which involved a LASG staff heading to work in the staff bus and passengers of the train resulted in 6 fatalities with about 96 others with various degrees of injuries. The injured victims were hospitalized across many Government Hospitals in the State,” the statement read.

“The driver of the staff bus on the fateful day (Mr. Oluwaseun Osibanjo) was apprehended and handed over to the Police for investigation and possible prosecution by the State. At the end of investigation, the casefile was forwarded to the DPP for further statutory actions”.