Fake traffic officer to spend 2-year jail term in Lagos

The Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi has sentenced an arrested fake LASTMA Officer, Omotutu Bamidele to a 2-year jail term for impersonating and extorting money from motorists across Lagos. 

108scoop.com reports that the convict was last week in Ikoyi area of the state.

The convicted was subsequently arraigned by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on a 2-count charge of “Did impersonate as a public officer by representing as staff of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (S.78 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015)” and “Did obtain by fraudulent trick (Sec. 323 of the Criminal Law, Lagos State)” before the court.

Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, said the Magistrate Kehinde Ogundare sentenced Omotutu Bamidele to a 2-year jail term without any option of fine.

According to him, the convict pleaded ‘Guilty’ to the 2- count charge levied against him.

Magistrate Ogundare emphasized that the convict should serve the jail term without any option fine due to the gravity of the offences committed.

The Court Prosecutor, Olufemi Adekunle said both offences levied against the convict contravened the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015).

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 a deterrent to others who are still extorting money from members of public under false pretence.

“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,” Oreagba said.

He, 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.