FRSC life sentence for truck driver sends strong warning against reckless driving after officer’s death in Lagos

The Federal Road Safety Corps on Friday welcomed the conviction and life imprisonment of Okpara Onyekachi for a fatal road crash that killed an on-duty officer in Lagos State, describing the ruling as a decisive victory for justice and road safety enforcement.

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The judgment was delivered by the High Court of Lagos State, TBS Division, in the case of The State v. Okpara Onyekachi, arising from a collision that claimed the life of Deputy Chief Road Marshal Assistant Ajomale during a routine enforcement operation at Orile-Iganmu on November 16, 2023.

Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Malam Shehu Mohammed, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Abuja by the Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide.

Investigations presented to the court established that the convicted driver was operating a 40-foot container-laden truck at excessive speed when he rammed into a stationary mini truck that had been flagged down for inspection by FRSC officers.

The impact fatally crushed DCRMA Ajomale as he carried out his lawful duties.

The court ruled that the driver’s conduct amounted to gross negligence and recklessness, rejecting any defence of accident, and consequently found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter under the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Mr Mohammed said the sentence sends an unmistakable signal to motorists, particularly operators of heavy-duty vehicles, that dangerous driving and disregard for human life will attract severe consequences.

He stressed that the Corps would continue to pursue justice whenever lives are lost through avoidable negligence, noting that the ruling reinforces the sanctity of officers’ duties and the value of every road user’s life.

The Corps Marshal added that the FRSC would intensify enforcement, strengthen prosecution support, and deepen collaboration with stakeholders nationwide to curb reckless driving behaviours.

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He also said the organisation had formally honoured the memory of DCRMA Ajomale, describing his death as a sobering reminder of the daily risks faced by road safety personnel in the line of duty.