BY Ayodele Oluwafemi
The family of Oluwabamise Ayanwola, who was allegedly raped and murdered in a bus rapid transit (BRT), has written to Moyosore Onigbanjo, attorney-general of Lagos state, seeking a fiat to prosecute Andrew Ominnikoron, a BRT driver.
In March, TheCable reported that Bamise went missing after she boarded a BRT bus driven by Ominnikoron at Ajah axis of the state on February 26.
Nine days later, the corpse of the 22-year-old was found on Carter Bridge on Lagos Island.
Ominnikoron was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services in Ogun state after he fled Lagos.
After he was apprehended, two other female passengers accused the driver of sexual harassment.
Subsequently, the Lagos state government arraigned Ominnikoron over the alleged rape and murder of Oluwabamise.
The accused was remanded at a correctional centre and trial fixed for May 9.
In a letter dated May 4 and addressed to Onigbanjo, the deceased’s family, through their lawyer, expressed their wish to have an independent body to conduct the prosecution of Ominnikoron owing to the circumstances of the case.
The family said officials of the Lagos state government are involved in the matter and they may not be “reasonably expected to act the prosecutor adequately against themselves”.
“We have been briefed by the family of late Bamise Ayanwola, the young lady murdered on 26th February 2022 aboard a Bus Rapid Transit vehicle to act as their solicitors,” Adesina Ogunlana, the deceased’s family lawyer, said.
“We have their further instructions to apply to your office for fiat to prosecute the criminal charge preferred against one Andrew Nice Ominikoron presently before Hon. Justice Serifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court.
“The family has formally expressed their wish to have a more independent body to conduct the prosecution, in the circumstances of the matter.
“In their view, Lagos State Government, agency and officials are involved in the matter and may not be reasonably expected to act the prosecutor adequately against themselves
“In addition, the family is concerned that the charges against the defendant also include allegations of rape of another person, an incident distinct and separate from that of the deceased. This situation may result in unnecessary complication.”
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