The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Mobile) Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi, has sentenced a fake LASTMA Officer, David Oluchukwu, to four-month jail term for impersonation and extortion.
Mr Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department. LASTMA, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
Taofiq said that the fake LASTMA officer was sentenced to four-month imprisonment on Monday for impersonating and extorting money from motorists’ particularly commercial bus drivers in Lagos.
The convicted fake LASTMA officer was arraigned on a two-Count charge of “Conduct likely to cause breach of peace” and “Impersonation” before the court.
The Magistrate, Adesanya Ademola, sentenced Oluchukwu to jail term without any option of fine after he pleaded guilty to the two- count charge against him.
Adesanya said that the convict should serve the jail term without any option of fine due to the gravity of the offences.
The Court Prosecutor, Agbaje Oladotun, stated that both offences against the convict 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 LASTMA, Mr Bolaji Oreagba, said the judgement was a welcome development.
Oreagba said that the punishment would serve as deterrent to others still extorting money from innocent members of public under false pretence.
According to him, “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.
“We are urging motorists, particularly commercial bus operators, to adhere strictly to the dictates of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.”
