Lagos boat helmsman charged over death of 12 passengers

On Monday, the Lagos State Government arraigned a commercial boat helmsman, Happiness Elebiju, for involuntary manslaughter before the state High Court in Ikeja for allegedly causing the death of 12 passengers while conveying them to their destinations.

Recall that TopNaija had reported how the victims drowned after the wave of a ship sailing along the Kirikiri waterfront made the boat, which engine had been switched off during an argument between Elebiju and his passengers over the fare, to capsize.

It was gathered that 20 passengers boarded the boat from Kirikiri to Badagry, but while on the way, the passengers disagreed with Elebiju when he indicated that the fare was N1,500, and they insisted on paying N1,200, but the helmsman allegedly switched off the engine of the boat by the waterfront because of the N300 difference.

As the ship sailed along, the wave made the boat to drift towards a stationary barge, where it capsized and 12 passengers drowned. At Monday’s proceedings, Elebiju was arraigned on 10 counts bordering on involuntary manslaughter before Justice Josephine Oyefeso.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following the plea of the defendant, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, told the court that two witnesses were present to testify against the defendant.

Meanwhile, the defence team led by one Mr Ganiyu urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable it to prepare for trial on the grounds that he had just being served the notice.

After the submission of the counsel, Justice Oyefeso adjourned the matter till August 27, 2020, for the commencement of trial and ordered the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility.