LASTMA Official Arrested For Seizing Vehicle For Personal Use

Ejigbo sectional head of the Lagos State Transportation Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Adeoti Bamidele Wasiu, has been arraigned, before the Ijeshatedo Magistrates' Court, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, for his alleged involvement in the illegal use of a bus seized from the owner.

Wasiu, 48, who is the head of Ejigbo Base 7, Zebra section of LASTMA, was arraigned and remanded in prison custody because he did not immediately meet the bail conditions as at yesterday.

Wasiu's arraignment is coming on the heels of the arraignment of another senior LASTMA officer, Taofik Onofowora, who was charged with converting the same seized van to his personal use a few weeks ago.

Wasiu was arraigned before Magistrate A.O. Gbajumo on a two-count charge of criminal conversion and stealing under the Criminal Code.

The police alleged that Wasiu impounded the Mercedes Benz van with registration number XU 140 JJJ along Iyana Ejigbo area belonging to Marvelous Peace for not using a seat belt and converted it to his personal use, an offence punishable under the Criminal Code.

The arrest of Wasiu followed a petition written by Peace through his lawyer, Barrister Olufemi Ajiboso, to the Area 'D' Police Division, Mushin and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, protesting the use of his vehicle by Taofik.

In the petition, Peace alleged that Wasiu and Taofik arrested him along Iyana Ejigbo-Ikotun road for not using a seat belt.

He said he pleaded with them after his arrest but they refused and drove the vehicle to their office at Ejigbo Yard.

Peace narrated that they asked him to pay a certain amount as fine for the offence which he paid and thereafter they asked him to pay another N180,000 as demurrage  before the vehicle will be released to him.

He said he pleaded with them to accept N90,000 but they refused. He said Taofik on the directive of Waisu insisted that the money must be fully paid before they will release the vehicle.

The complainant said he went home to get the money and paid to the bank and returned to their office with the receipt, but instead of releasing his vehicle to him, they started dribbling him, telling him to come today, come tomorrow, for almost two weeks.

Peace said he was going regularly to their office with his receipt of payment to get his vehicle released. He disclosed that on one of such visits, Taofik told him to forget the vehicle because it had been confiscated by the Lagos State Government.

He said he became frustrated and was thinking of what to do next when information got to him that Taofik was using the vehicle for his personal movement.

He disclosed further that he confirmed the information when he saw Taofik driving the vehicle, adding that when he confronted the LASTMA officer, he told him that the van now belonged to him because he bought it from the government.

Peace said he went to the Ejigbo police division and reported the matter. Taofik was arrested and later transferred to Area 'D' Division, Mushin for further investigation.

At the conclusion of investigation, Taofik was charged to court.

When the matter came up, he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Mr. Ayorinde informed the court that there was another case relating to the incident, saying he intends to join them at the next adjournment.

The court granted Wasiu bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

When he could not meet the conditions attached to the bail, the magistrate ordered that he should be remanded in custody at the Kirikiri Prison, pending the fulfilment of the conditions.

Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till 7 May, 2014.