Car in reverse mode knocks down neighbour’s 3-year-old boy

A 44-year-old government driver, Olarinde Olabode, on Tuesday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court charged with knocking down a three-year-old boy fatally while reversing his car.

The accused, a resident of Alafia Street, Ikeja, is facing a two-count charge of reckless driving and manslaughter to which he pleaded not guilty.

But Prosecutor Benson Emuerhi told the court that the accused committed the offences on Sept. 15 at 3.30 p.m. along Alafia Street, Orisunmibare Road in Ikeja.

Olabode drove a Toyota Hilux van with registration no. 01 B-140 FG recklessly, causing the death of the boy, he said.

According to the prosecutor, the father of the boy and the accused, who are neighbours had misunderstandings before the incident.

“The accused was reversing the vehicle and in the process, the deceased was hit. The victim died on the spot and the said vehicle was badly damaged by a mob.”

The offences contravened Section 27 (1) of the Road Traffic Law of Lagos State, 2015.

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Chief Magistrate Olufunke Sule-Amzat granted the accused N250,000 bail with two responsible sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation of the accused with an evidence of gainful employment.

She adjourned the case until Oct. 30 for mention.