On Saturday, the Lagos State Police Command shared the charge sheet for the prosecution of Biola Adams-Odutayo, who hit Adetunji Opayele, the co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Bumpa, with her car on March 4.
Ben Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in Lagos, shared a copy of the charge sheet on X amid public calls for justice for Opayele, also known as Teejay.
FIJ understands that Adams-Odutayo was arraigned on March 12, and the court granted her bail and adjourned the case until April 16.
The first count of the charge sheet accuses her of driving on a “public highway in a reckless and careless manner without due care and attention to other road users” while the second charge accuses her of causing Opayele’s death.
Count Two reads: “That you, Abiola Odutayo T, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, being the driver in charge of one Ford Edge Jeep with Registration No. LND 418 JR drove the same in the public highway in a reckless and careless manner without due care and attention to other road users and caused the death of one Tunji Opaleye, m’ aged 32 years […]”
The offences violate Section 50(1) and Section 52 of the Road Traffic Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2018.
According to section 50(1), which centres on reckless or dangerous driving, a person who commits the offence of driving a vehicle on a highway without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for others using the highway is liable on conviction to a N50,000 fine. In the case of a subsequent conviction, such a person will pay a fine of N100,000 or serve three months in jail or both.
Section 52, which addresses death caused by reckless or dangerous driving, recommends a seven-year imprisonment for the convicted person.
FIJ earlier reported how Adams-Odutayo’s reckless driving and disregard for human life led to Opayele’s death.
The deceased, who had the right of way and had just left the iFitness gym in Victoria Island, was riding along Ozumba Mbadiwe Road that Tuesday night when Adams-Odutayo drove onto the expressway without checking for oncoming traffic.
She crashed into him afterwards and, according to a petition sighted by FIJ, refused to check on the co-founder of Bumpa, who was left sprawled on the road.
The petitioners disclosed that even when bystanders and well-meaning residents rushed to help, she did nothing.
The petition reads in part, “When they approached her friend, they were told, ‘She doesn’t want blood to stain her car.’ As Teejay lay unconscious but still breathing, Biola, a healthcare professional and Head of Health at a reputable insurance brokering firm, chose to stay on a phone call for over 30 minutes instead of helping to save a life.”