The Nigerian Air Force has said it will hand over the driver and two other occupants of the Kia Sorento SUV which killed Nigeria’s first female combat
The Nigerian Air Force has said it will hand over the driver and two other occupants of the Kia Sorento SUV which killed Nigeria’s first female combat pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, to the police for investigation and prosecution, ThePunch is reporting.
The NAF disclosed that the suspects – Mr Nehemiah Adejoh, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun – all former schoolmates of the deceased at the Air Force Secondary School (now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna, were still in custody. After investigations, the culpable person among the suspects would face manslaughter charges.
Disclosing the details of the preliminary investigation, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Comm. Ibikunle Daramola, said the service would work with the police to prefer appropriate charges against the culpable persons among the vehicle occupants.
Arotile, 24, was knocked down by the suspects at the NAF base in Kaduna last Tuesday. Following Arotile’s death, her family, groups including the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, had called for an investigation into her death. Afenifere, which spoke through its spokesman, rejected the freak accident, which the Air Force said caused her death.
The culpable person among occupants of the car might face manslaughter charges and on conviction, is liable to seven years’ imprisonment, according to Section 28 of the Road Traffic Law which provides that where reckless and dangerous driving has caused the death of a person, the accused person shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment of seven years.
