Update-Must Read: Female banker denies crushing LASTMA official- says its a frame up

Yinka Johnson, the female banker, who was arrested on Friday by the police for allegedly crushing an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority to death while driving against traffic, has said the alleged crime was a frame-up.

The General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Babatunde Edu, had told

SATURDAY PUNCH that Johnson crushed the LASTMA official, Ahmed Balogun, while trying to evade arrest in the Ajah area of the state.

Edu alleged that Johnson ran from the scene of the incident immediately into Ikota Estate, Ajah, where she was later arrested by policemen attached to Area J Command.

However, Johnson told SUNDAY PUNCH that she did not hit the LASTMA official, adding that it was another vehicle that ran over Balogun.

Johnson, who is an employee of Stanbic IBTC, is being detained along with her three-month old baby, Deborah.

Although she admitted to driving against traffic, she said where Balogun was crushed was a few metres away from her vehicle, adding that there were no blood stains on her car.

She said, “I was driving on Lekki-Epe Expressway trying to navigate to the other side of the road when I was accosted by a LASTMA official.

“The path I took was a one-way road but residents of Ikota Estate usually take it because of the ongoing road reconstruction on the alternative road.

“While I was discussing with the LASTMA official, a vehicle crushed another official a few metres away, causing commotion.”

Johnson said she did not run away from the crime scene as it was not far from her home but instead, alighted from her car during the pandemonium and called her husband.

According to her, after the LASTMA officials drove her car way, she went to the police station with her husband to report the incident.

She added that upon getting to the station, she saw her vehicle and learnt that the matter had been reported to the police.

She said, “When I got to the police station, the area commander immediately took over the case and took me to the office of the commissioner of police. I heard the state governor had already told him about the case

“When I narrated my ordeal to the CP, he did not believe my story. He immediately ordered that I should be taken to the SCID.”

A relative of the victim, who craved anonymity, said the police was biased with investigations. He said because the state government was aggrieved, it was trying to punish Johnson even though the real suspect was still at large.

Due to the sensitive nature of the case and the minor involved, Project Alert, a non-governmental organisation and some legal luminaries were also at the SCID on Saturday.

Maintaining her innocence, she decried the situation where her baby was being kept behind the counter with her.

“My baby has been crying because of hunger and I cannot even feed her well here. I still have my stitches from the caesarean operation,” she said.

In an appeal to the state government, Johnson urged the governor to properly investigate the matter and not just rely on what he was told by LASTMA.

She said, “I am the innocent person here, yet I am being made to pay for what I did not do.”

Edu, however, said he maintained his earlier position, adding that Johnson was the alleged killer.

A senior police officer, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent that Johnson would be charged to court on Monday for murder.

-Punch

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