The trial resumed on Thursday.
A Lagos State High Court has resumed the trial of Andrew Nice Ominikoron, a Bus Rapid Transit driver who allegedly raped and murdered Oluwabamise Ayanwole, a 22-year-old fashion designer.
The trial resumed on Thursday.
The witnesses, while giving their testimonies before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, of the Lagos High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, told the court that they were not paid to tarnish the image of the defendant.
The defence counsel, Mr P.O Idogwu, standing in for Ayobami Omotubora, the lead counsel pleaded that the court adjourned till a further date because he was new to the case.
Justice Sherifat however, overruled the application as she stated that the case would not be further delayed by the counsel.
Channel TV reports that one of the witnesses, ASP Isibor Amos, a police officer, who was made the incident officer, testified that he was alerted on the 26th of February, 2022 about a lifeless body along Ogogoro village, leading to Oyingbo on Carter bridge.
He added that something was thrown down from a moving vehicle and when it was observed by eyewitnesses, they found out that it was a lifeless body.
He said, “I was alerted on 26th of February, 2022 that people were gathered on the express with someone lying down there. On getting there, I saw a female lifeless body,” he said.
“I gathered that a moving vehicle had thrown something down, and when the observers came close, they saw that it was a lifeless body. They tried to revive her with sachet water but she did not survive it.
“I was alerted by the charge room officer that there is a crowd gathered close to the station, and there is a need for me to be involved in this case.”
He testified that the incident occurred in his jurisdiction and that the scene was about a 20 minutes’ walk to the police station.
Another witness, Segun Agbe who is a social worker with the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Team, mentioned that he was assigned to the case on 12th of March, 2022 by his senior colleague, Lola Adeniyi.
He narrated how he visited one of the victims, Mary Jane in her house, where she told him of how she was sexually abused by the BRT driver before visiting the Ajah Police station to incident the matter.
While he was been cross-examined by Mr Idogwu, he said that he was not hired to tarnish the image of Mr Andrew Nice.
“I was assigned this case on 12th of March, 2022. I went to Miss Mary Jane, to talk to her about the incident and she narrated to us how everything happened on the bus and how the bus driver sexually abused and torn her clothes,” Agbe said.
“Thereafter, we visited the Ajah Police Station to investigate the matter. CSP Oseni and two other officers came to meet us. When we arrived at Ajah Police Station, Mary Jane made her statement.”
Justice Sherifat Sonaike, after the record of the testimonies, adjourned the matter till July 7th, 2022, for the continuation of the trial.