Bola Badmus – Lagos
The Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi has sentenced a fake Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer, Omotutu Bamidele, to a 2- year jail term for impersonating and extorting money from motorists across the state.
The convicted LASTMA officer was arraigned by the Agency on a 2-count charge of impersonating “as a public officer by representing as staff of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority,” contrary to Section 78 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and obtaining by fraudulent trick against Section 323 of the Criminal Law, also of Lagos State before the court.”
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Mr Adebayo Taofiq, in a statement, quoted that Magistrate Kehinde Ogundare sentenced Bamidele to a 2-year jail term without any option of fine after he pleaded ‘guilty’ to the 2- count charge levied against him.
Ogundare emphasized that the convict should serve the jail term without any option fine due to the gravity of the offences committed.
The prosecutor, Barr. Olufemi Adekunle stated that both offences levied against the convict contravened the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015).
LASTMA General Manager, Mr Bolaji Oreagba, in his reaction, described the judgement as a welcome development, saying it would serve as a deterrent to others who were still extorting money from innocent members of the public under false pretence.
According to Oreagba, LASTMA Monitoring and Surveillance Unit which has now been fully restructured would continue to hunt for other bad elements disturbing the peace of the society, urging motorists, particularly commercial bus operators to adhere strictly to the dictates of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 and avoid attacking officers of the Agency.
“Our monitoring and surveillance unit which has now been fully restructured would continue to hunt for other bad elements disturbing the peace of the society,” LASTMA boss warned.
Oreagba, however, urged motorists particularly commercial bus operators to adhere strictly to the dictates of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 and avoid attacking Officers of the Agency.
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