- Adegboruwa Wants Burial Suspended
By Kolawole Ojebisi
The driver who drove the car that killed Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, the Nigerian Air Force’s first female combat helicopter pilot may face charges of manslaughter.
The NAF had on Sunday, through the statement on its preliminary investigation on the death of Arotile, had named Mr Nehemiah Adejoh as the driver of the Kia Sorento SUV that killed Arotile.
Read also: Arotile Died Of ‘Blunt Force’, NAF Gives Account Of Her Death
Other occupants of the vehicle are: 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, according to NAF’s statement.
NAF had said the case involving these three people, who are currently in detention, would be handed over to the police, being a civil case, for investigation and prosecution.
It was learnt, however, that after investigations, the culpable person among the suspects would face manslaughter charges.
Arotile, 25, 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-cultural group, Afenifere, had called for an investigation into her death, rejecting the freak accident, which the Air Force said caused her death.
But on Sunday, the Air Force furnish Nigerians with more insights into the accident. It said the driver, Adejoh was reversing the Kia Sorento SUV when it hit Arotile who fell and hit her head on the tarmac. The car also ran over parts of her body after knocking her down.
The Squadron Pilot at the 405 Helicopter Combat Training Group, Enugu, subsequently died from loss of blood and trauma to the head at the 461 NAF Hospital, Kaduna.
It was gathered that, Adejoh who reportedly drove the car, might face manslaughter 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.
But despite the findings of NAF’s preliminary investigation, some prominent Nigerians still want some questions to be answered.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa said the remains of Arotile ought not to be buried until the conclusion of investigations in the circumstances surrounding her death.
NAF, had scheduled the burial of the late flying officer for July 23.
But Adegboruwa advised against the burial, in a statement on Sunday, titled, “Nigerians Deserve Proper Investigation into the Death of Arotile before Burial.”
The lawyer said given “the inconsistent stories emerging from the Nigerian Air Force” on the cause of Arotile’s death, there was a need for a coroner’s inquest.
Adegboruwa said, “The least we expect is a proper investigation, followed with a coroner’s inquest, including an independent autopsy report.
“There is no point in rushing to bury her in light of emerging revelations.”
