BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The manager of Omident Car Wash, Ring Road, Osogbo, Osun State, Omolara Balogun, 50; alongside one other staff, Olalekan Rokeeb Adetunji, aged 19, have been arraigned at a Chief Magistrate Court in Osogbo for allegedly damaging a client’s car.
The two car wash staff reportedly committed the offence on January 13.
According to police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, the teenage staff, on January 13 at about 5:30pm, at Omident Car Wash, Ring Road, drove a Lexus 350 RC Jeep with registration number ABC 928 FH, in a dangerous manner in the public without having regards to the condition of the road.
Adeoye accused Adetunji of driving the car without having a licence and also damaging its bumper, bonnet and air conditioner condenser, all valued at N750, 000, property of one Oyetunde Oyekunle.
The prosecutor, in a separate charge, further accused Balogun of giving the customer’s car to an unlicensed driver (Adetunji) who drove recklessly and damaged parts of the car worth N750, 000.
The complainant alleged that Adetunji was using his car to learn driving and, in the process, hit it on a building.
The police said that the two defendants committed offences contrary to sections 18(1), and 7(1) of RTR, CAP 113, Volume 5, Law of Osun State, 2003.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences.
Counsel to the defendants, Lanre Adaraniwon, prayed the court to grant his clients bail in liberal terms, assuring the magistrate that they would show up for trial on court’s date.
Adeoye opposed the bail application, saying that they would jump bail if granted.
Chief Magistrate O. A. Ayilara asked the parties to meet and settle the matter amicably by fixing the damaged car.
He granted Balogun bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties. One of the sureties, he said, must be a land owner resident within the court jurisdiction.
The chief magistrate also granted Adetunji bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety who must be a house owner.
