•Report by Mudasir Opeyemi
A fake officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), David Oluchukwu has been sentenced to a four-month jail term for impersonating and extorting money from motorists particularly commercial bus drivers in Lagos.
NPO had last week reported that operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority(LASTMA) on nabbed a fake traffic official identified as David Oluchukwu around the Lekki area of the state.
The 27 years-old Oluchukwu was nabbed while he was extorting money from commercial bus drivers under the Lekki bridge.
“Priliminary investigations conducted by the agency revealed that the arrested suspect belonged to a criminal gang and they have been extorting huge sum of money from innocent motorists apprehended for various traffic offences ranging from seat-belt, obstructions, illegal over-taking and One-way at different locations across the State,” the statement read
“The suspect was apprehended after our patrol team sighted him fully kitted with a LASTMA uniform on a black jean collecting money from different commercial bus drivers who were illegally dropping and picking passengers under the Lekki bridge,” LASTMA had said in a statement signed by Taofiq Adebayo
However,having found guilty of the offences levied against him,Oluchukwu was jailed by a Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Mobile) Court sitting at Bolade,Oshodi on Monday
The convicted fake LASTMA officer was arraigned on two counts of “conduct likely to cause breach of peace” and “impersonation” before the court”.
In a press statement, LASTMA Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq quoted that Magistrate Adesanya Ademola sentenced Oluchukwu to a four-month jail term without any option of fine after he pleaded guilty to the charges levied against him.
According to the statement,the Court Prosecutor, Agbaje Oladotun stated that both offences levied against the convict (Breach of Peace and Impersonation) contravened Section 168 (D) and Section 78 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015) respectively.
Reacting to the judgement, LASTMA General Manager, Bolaji Oreagba said the judgement was a welcome development as it would serve as deterrent to others who are still extorting money from innocent members of public under false pretense.
“Our Surveillance and Intelligence Unit which has now been fully restructured would continue to hunt for other bad elements disturbing the peace of the society,” Oreagba said
He however urged motorists particularly commercial bus operators to adhere strictly to the dictates of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.