Posted by By ADEYEMI ADEKUNLE and TORU OLUFUNLAYO on
Zone seven patrol commander of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Ejigbo, Mr Andrew Boluwatife Bodukale, had on Tuesday in his defense admitted that the team had collected what he described as 'compensation' from erred motorists.
Zone seven patrol commander of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Ejigbo, Mr Andrew Boluwatife Bodukale, had on Tuesday in his defense admitted that the team had collected what he described as 'compensation' from erred motorists.
Led in his evidence by his counsel, Mr Najeem Tahir, the defendant told the court that a policeman attached to the team, one Corporal Bamidele collected N10,000 on behalf of the team.
According to the defendant, he was some metres away from where the erred driver offered the corporal the money for enlighten and educating them on the danger on plying one way.
He narrated further that: 'On July 15, 2008 at about 3.30 p.m. the traffic offender detoured at a U-turn at Egbeda Idimu road to get to a Zenith Bank which is about a block away. My boys saw him and blocked him. In the process of evading arrest, he parked on a small space in front of the NEPA office which is beside Zenith Bank.
'When asked why he drove in that manner, he replied that he had huge amount of money in the car and for security reasons and more so, he must get the money to the bank before the bank closed for the day,' he said.
He further stated that as a patrol commander he has the discretion of educating, enlightening and warning the erring driver, adding that when he saw sign of remorse in him he let him off the hook.
In his testimonies, 'after my caution, enlightenment, education to the driver I saw great deal of remorse in him. So, I exercised my discretion to let him go. It was when we got to the office that Corporal Bamidele told me that the driver gave him N10,000 compensation,' he said.
It would be recalled that Mr Bodukale was arraigned on September 3, 2008 for allegedly extorting money from an erred motorist.
However, the presiding Magistrate Oluyemi Isaac had fixed further trial for October 24, 2008.