Nigeria Police on Wednesday arraigned the driver and owner of the vehicle that killed Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile at a Magistrate Court in Kaduna.
Tolulope, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, was killed in a road crash at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna in July.
The suspects, Nehemiah Adejo and David Adejo, were arraigned before a Kaduna State Magistrate Court on four count charges of; causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, driving without drivers licence and driving without authorization of the owner, and one count charged of negligent conduct while causing danger to person and property.
Nehemiah Adejo and David Adejo pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail. Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Benjamin after hearing arguments from both counsels of the defendants and Prosecutor, DSP Martins Leo, granted bail of N1 million to Nehemiah and David.
The Chief Magistrate, who adjourned the case to August 24 and 25, ordered both defendants to produce, two sureties each who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and are engaged in legal businesses and present a Bank Verification Number that corresponds with their information.
The prosecution counsel had charged Nehemiah with a four count charges of; causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, driving without drivers licence and driving without authorization of the owner, to which he pleaded not guilty.
David was also charged with alleged negligent conduct while causing danger to person and property, to which the defendant equally pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution counsel had prayed that the court allowed Nehemiah to be remanded arguing that there is pending investigation of culpable homicide against him. However, counsel to Nehemiah, Aliyu Ibrahim Omachi argued for a bail on the basis that he is a first time offender and has spent more than four weeks in detention.
Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile was killed in a road accident at the Nigeria Air Force Base in Kaduna and three suspects were subsequently arrested. The Nigerian Air Force had in line with extant laws handed over the three persons who were involved in the accident that led to the Flying Officer’s death to the Nigeria Police, saying it is a civil case.
Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Muhammad Jalige, said the case of alleged culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy against the three occupants of the vehicle was still under investigation.
He however, said the suspects would be charged to court on that count as soon as investigation is concluded.
