Bamise: BRT driver narrates how he was arrested, tortured

A driver of the Lagos State Bus Rapid Transport, Andrew  Ominikoron, standing trial for allegedly raping and murdering 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, on Monday, told the court that he was arrested at Ososa in Ogun State around 1 am, while he was sleeping.

Ominikoron is facing four counts bordering on conspiracy, rape, and murder preferred against him, by the Lagos State Government.

He was arraigned in March 2022, before the Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square, over the alleged rape and murder of his passenger, on February 26, 2022, at the Lekki-Ajah Conservation Expressway.

The defendant who opened his defence on Thursday last week, told the court that he did not rape nor murdered the deceased.
He had said, “I did not rape nor murder Bamise.”

At the resumed trial of the case on Monday, the defendant told Justice Sherifat Shonaike that he was sleeping around 1 a.m. when he heard a knock on the door.

He said the people at the door told him and his friend that they were police officers and that he should open the door.
He said that when they did, an officer put a torch on his face and slapped him on the ear, and then he fell. Ominikoron said they brought out their phone and showed him pictures of a fair lady that he allegedly kidnapped on his bus.

The defendant who was led in his defence by his counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, said that wasn’t so as that lady wasn’t the first passenger he carried on his bus.

He added that they showed him another picture of a dark girl, which he agreed was the person on the bus. He said he was beaten, his eyes tied, hands cuffed and put him in the Hilux alongside his work bag alongside his friend.

The witness said when they arrived at their destination, the head of the officers told him to tell the truth about what happened so he would be set free.

Ominikoron told the court that he narrated what had happened on the fateful day, but the police boss said he would do his findings and then took him to the torture room, allegedly cuffed his legs and hands and put a pipe in between.

According to him, they told me he kidnapped someone and he said no but they refused to believe him. “I was still being tortured and I pleaded that the pain was much and unbearable, then, I passed out,” he said.

Furthermore, he said, “They poured water to revive me, then I begged them to give me a cup of water but they refused. The officers were ordered to lock me in a cell.
“Around 4 am, I was brought out every 10 to 15 minutes for interrogation.”

He said that he was later taken to the Department of State Services, where he saw his MD with other LAMATA staff members.

He added that his MD asked him what happened, which he narrated, and then his MD said if he had told the truth, he should not be worried since they would make their findings.

The defendant said that in the evening of the same day, he was paraded before the press and later other officers came and one of them slapped him and he fell.
He said he saw two men, one who saw he was shivering and held him and told him not to worry.

Ominikoron further told the court that they took him from there to Alausa to the Commissioner of Police office.

“From there, I was taken to Panti where the threats and torture continued. I came out after five times to write a statement.
“Two days later, I was taken by two officers and I showed them where I picked Bamise and re-narrated the incident,” he said.

When his counsel, Omotubora,  asked if he had evidence of torture, Ominikoron showed his fingers and said his appearance was not how he used to be, adding that the former DCP from Ikoyi Custodian Centre had at a point ordered an inmate to deal with him to get information from him that the Lagos State Governor demanded it.

During cross-examination, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, asked the defendant if he could confirm he rode the bus with code 240257, on the day of the incident and he said yes.

He agreed that he was trained before he became a driver in the company and that in the case of any incident, he should call the office for assistance, sign out after he had packed his vehicle and fill out a complaint form in the event of an incident.

He also agreed that he didn’t do any of these.

When asked after his training, what was the company’s directive when there was an incident, he answered that he was told that whatever happened when they should call the office for assistance on whatever happened. She added that they were also told to lay their complaint with the depot manager.

Martins asked, “On the first two dates, did you lay a complaint to your depot manager?” He answered, “No I didn’t have a problem with anyone.
“On February 26, 2022, I didn’t make a report or call the office to tell them what had happened. The only problem I had in my 20 years of driving was on February 26, 2022, I was afraid, that’s why.”

The DPP asked him again, “So you packed that day and left without telling anyone?

“Yes,” he answered.

“When you came to work on Monday, did you make a formal complaint or complain to anyone?”

“No, I was afraid,” he said.

Asked if the bus he rode that night had a Closed Circuit Television, he said no.

The case was, however, adjourned until November 29, 2024, to hear the evidence of the two defence witnesses.