The police have arraigned the driver and owner of the vehicle that killed Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile in a road crash at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna, before a court in the state capital.
The driver and the owner of the vehicle were arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Kaduna State on four counts of causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, driving without a driving licence and driving without authorisation of the owner, and one count charge of negligent conduct while causing danger to person and property.
The suspects, Nehemiah Adejo and David Adejo, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, were however granted bail with the sum of N1 million each.
The defendants were also ordered by the court 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.
Consequently, the Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Benjamin, adjourned the case till August 24 and 25.
The prosecution counsel had earlier prayed that the court to allow Nehemiah to be remanded, arguing that there is a pending investigation of culpable homicide against him.
But Nehemiah’s Counsel, Aliyu Omachi, argued for bail on the basis that his client was a first time offender and had spent more than 4 weeks in detention.
The late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile was killed in a freak accident at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna and following the incident, 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 death of Flying Officer Arotile to the Nigeria Police, saying it is a civil case.
Kaduna State Police Command’s 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.