Matilda Omonaiye/
A young man has been jailed for four months in Lagos after posing as a LASTMA Officer to dupe motorists on Lagos roads.
NewsmakersNG learned that the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Mobile) Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi yesterday sentenced the arrested fake LASTMA Officer, identified as David Oluchukwu, to a 4-month jail term for impersonating and extorting money from motorists particularly commercial bus drivers in Lagos.
The convicted fake LASTMA Officer, who operated with the nametag Bolaji Hakeem, was arraigned by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on a 2-Count charge of “Conduct likely to cause breach of peace” and “Impersonation” before the court.
According to a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of (LASTMA) Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, Magistrate Adesanya Ademola sentenced David Oluchukwu to a 4-month jail term without any option of fine after he pleaded ‘Guilty’ to the 2- count charges against him.
Magistrate Adesanya emphasized that the convict should serve the 4 months jail term without any option of fine due to the gravity of the offences committed.
The Court Prosecutor Barrister Agbaje Oladotun stated that both offences levied against the convict (Breach of Peace and Impersonation) contravened Section 168 (D) and Section 78 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015) respectively.
In his reaction to the judgement, the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Mr Bolaji Oreagba said the judgement was a welcome development as it would serve as deterrent to others who are still extorting money from innocent members of the public under false pretense.
Oreagba said, “Our Surveillance and Intelligence Unit which has now been fully restructured would continue to hunt for other bad elements disturbing the peace of the society.”
The General Manager however urged motorists particularly commercial bus operators to adhere strictly to the dictates of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.
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