Posted by By Ebere Elezie and Peace Dibie on
For Wilson Oliseh, the 50-year-old father of an accident victim, Helen Ebele, the pains of losing one's daughter at her prime is indescribable. He could only moan and shake his head at intervals 'It's like a horrible dream I would like to wake up from," he finally said in a trembling voice.
For Wilson Oliseh, the 50-year-old father of an accident victim, Helen Ebele, the pains of losing one's daughter at her prime is indescribable. He could only moan and shake his head at intervals 'It's like a horrible dream I would like to wake up from," he finally said in a trembling voice.
Oliseh, was not alone in his grieve, the compound was filled with youths with puffy eyes, students of Ambrose Ali University and some women, howling on top of their voices. The atmosphere screamed ‘sorrow and pains' for a promising life that was wasted by a truck driver.
Mutilated
Oliseh said his daughter was killed on March 26, 2005 by a soft drink truck with registration, XM136LN at West Minster Bus- Stop, Apapa. 'I was told that before the okada man that was carrying her could stop, a truck veered off the road, knocked them down and climbed them and ran away. That was why she was mutilated from waist down; she died instantly", said the grieving father. He added that a mobile policeman who witnessed the accident gave the truck a chase and was able to apprehend some of the occupants. 'They were three in the vehicle, two salesmen and the driver. The driver escaped but one of the salesmen was taken to Trinity Police Station, where he made statements. After, he took them to the scene of the accident and they took the corpse to the mortuary. One of the salesmen ran to the office, reported what happened and they came with their ambulance. But on getting there, they found out that the police had removed the body already".
The driver
'When I went to Trinity Police station, I was told that the person arrested was not the right person and he was released. That the driver had not been seen and from what they were telling me, I gathered that he was a staff (of the soft drink company). Nobody knew if he was a trained driver. Because of the way they were handling the case, we took the matter to Ikeja and reported to the Provost Marshall office and they told us that they would investigate the matter.
Missing documents
Oliseh said while investigation was going on, it was discovered that the statement made by the mobile policeman was allegedly removed by the police at Trinity Station. ' It was discovered at the Provost Marshall's office that the statement made by the mobile policeman and other related documents were not found in the case file. They asked them to take the file and make sure that everything was put in place and continued with the case. It took the police time to release the papers, they refused to released the papers. It was only after the intervention of Lagos State Police Command that they did the post mortem and we got the warrant to bury my daughter. Since then, I was told that they have not been able to arrest the driver".
They've not shown concern
He said that what pained him most was the insensitivity of the company's management. ' I sent my lawyer to them, he met with the Chief Security Officer and the Plant Manager at Ajegunle who now linked up his people at head office. They promised to assist with the burial and demanded for a bill, we gave them a bill of N500,000. They gave me N170, 000, I refused the money but my people said I should take it and bury my daughter first. So I took the money from them. But what pains me most is the negligence of the management of the company. Their truck killed a girl in her prime and they did not see it fit to visit the family or compensate them in any way. My daughter was only 22 years old and in 400 level, she was reading public administration and would have graduated this year. They knew all these and yet they did not show any concern. I would sue them for damages and negligence if they don't know what they are supposed to do," he concluded