A driver, Sunday Okodo (38), who knocked down a police Inspector, to escape arrest over driving driving against traffic, popularly referred to as one-way, has been remanded in prison custody, with the case adjourned till March 26, 2021.
Okodo, who resides at Alose Close, Bonny Crescent, was re-arraigned before a mobile court at Oshodi on Friday, February 26. He was previously docked on Thursday.
Among the charges brought against the accused were driving against traffic, resisting arrest, reckless and dangerous driving, driving with invalid driver’s licence, assaulting a police officer and attempted murder.
The magistrate, who presided over the court, did not grant the accused bail or imposed a fine, but said he should be remanded in Badagry Correctional Centre till the next hearing.
The police spokesman in the state, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi had said in a statement on Thursday, said that the Police Inspector, David Zapania, who was knocked into a canal, was alive and healthy, but had left hand fracture.
Adejobi disclosed that incident occurred on Wednesday, February 24, at about 5:30p.m., when some personnel of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) were backed by the police on enforcement duty within the state.
He said that the driver was stopped for driving against the traffic on International Airport road, but the driver resisted arrest.
In his attempt to escape, the driver, Okodo reversed into the police Inspector, Zapania, knocking him off the bridge he stood on, into a canal.
The PPRO stated further that “the Inspector was rescued and rushed to the Lagos State Emergency and Trauma Centre, where he was attended to and discharged, but sustained fracture on his left hand.”
A viral video, in which Okodo, who drove a Toyota Highlander SUV, had resisted arrest and knocked down the Inspector in an attempt to escape, had circulated online.
Thenewsbearer learnt that the Toyota SUV had been impounded.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who sympathised with the policeman, restated his zero tolerance for gross violation of traffic laws and regulations in the state.
