Bamise: Family insists on independent prosecution as Lagos re-arraigns BRT driver

The Lagos government has re-arraigned Andrew Ominnikoron, a bus rapid transit (BRT) driver, over the alleged rape and murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwola.

Bamise went missing after she boarded a BRT bus driven by Ominnikoron at the Ajah axis of the state on February 26.

Nine days later, the corpse of the 22-year-old was found on Carter Bridge in Lagos Island.

Subsequently, Ominnikoron was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Ogun state.

In March, the Lagos government had arraigned the BRT bus driver on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder and rape.

On Monday, Ominnikoron was again brought before Sherifat Sonaike, judge of a Lagos high court, on an additional one-count charge.

At the court proceedings on Monday, Ominnikoron pleaded not guilty to the five-count charge brought against him by the state government.

The BRT bus driver was represented by his counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, while the prosecuting team was led by Moyosore Onigbanjo, attorney-general of Lagos state.

During the proceedings, Onigbanjo said the prosecuting team came with three witnesses to testify against Ominnikoron, and that only one of the witnesses would present her testimony for the day’s proceedings.

Testifying before the court, a lady (name withheld) narrated how Ominnikoron allegedly raped her inside a BRT bus on November 25, 2021, after she boarded the bus at Alesh hostel bus-stop at the Ajah axis of the state.

The lady also alleged that the BRT bus driver asked for her account number and sent her N3,000 to buy painkillers for treatment after the rape incident.

TheCable had earlier published the lady’s account of her alleged encounter with the bus driver here.

During the proceedings, the lady presented the dress, which she wore on the day the incident happened, adding that Ominnikoron used a small knife to tear the dress during the incident.

The court accepted the torn dress as exhibit one.

The case was adjourned till May 10 to enable Ominnikoron’s counsel to cross-examine the witness.

Speaking at the end of the proceedings, Adesina Ogunlana, counsel to late Bamise’s family, said the state government did not put its act together for the case.

“On what transpired in court, we, the family, are not particularly happy. As we have said before in our press release, in our best minds, the prosecutor has not put its act in order. We need to sound this note of warning — we suspect untidiness on the part of the prosecution,” he said.

“This is a novel aspect of a crime that happened in Nigeria. This is the first time a violent crime is happening in a government facility. The Lagos state government is denying that obvious fact, saying BRT is a franchise right.

“The family wants private prosecution, so that there will be no iota of collaboration. We are praying that this case is not being set up for destruction at the court of appeal. Things ought to be done properly.”

Meanwhile, the defence counsel had, over the weekend, said the Lagos government declined to grant the fiat application by Bamise’s family to prosecute Ominnikoron.