Lagos resident arraigned over death of Bumpa co-founder risks seven-year jail term

Biola Adams-Odutayo, a Lagos resident charged with reckless driving inflicting the dying of Adetunji Opaleye, co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Bumpa, faces seven-year jail time if convicted.

In line with a press release from the police on Saturday, Ms Adams-Odutayo was arraigned on the Lagos State Excessive Court docket in Tinubu, Lagos State, on two counts on 12 March, days after she was discharged from the hospital following the accident.

The accident, which reportedly led to Mr Opayele’s dying, occurred at about 10.20 p.m. on 4 March, at 1004 Housing Property entrance gate, taffic ligt junction, alongside Ozumba Mbadiwe Highway, Victoria Isiand, Lagos.

Ms Adams-Odutayo, driving onto the expressway in her Ford Edge SUV with quantity plate LND 418 JR with out checking for oncoming visitors, reportedly crashed into Mr Opaleye.

A duplicate of the indictment shared on X by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Command of the Nigerian police, Ben Hundeyin, confirmed that the driving force was charged beneath the state’s visitors legislation.

The primary depend alleged that Ms Adams-Odutayo drove on the freeway “in an inconsiderable method with out due care and a focus to different particular person(s) utilizing the freeway,” when the accident occurred.

The police mentioned the act constituted an offence beneath Part 50(1) of the Highway Site visitors Legal guidelines of Lagos State, 2018.

The second depend accused her of driving “in a reckless and careless method with out due care and a focus to different highway customers and prompted the dying of 1 Tunji Opaleye, male, aged 32 years.”

The police mentioned the offence violated part 52 of the identical Lagos State’s Highway Site visitors Legislation .

Part 50(1) of the legislation, beneath which the primary depend was introduced, criminalises reckless or harmful driving. The availability prescribes a penalty of N50,000 tremendous upon conviction for any one that drives on a freeway with out due care and a focus or with out cheap consideration for others. In line with the legislation, a subsequent conviction attracts a N100,000 tremendous or three months in jail, or each.

Life reduce brief

Born in Lagos on 20 December 1992, Mr Opayele attended Lagos State Mannequin Faculty Meiran earlier than learning legislation at Obafemi Awolowo College (OAU).

Nonetheless, his ardour for know-how led him to turn into a software program engineer.

Earlier than co-founding Bumpa, Mr Opayele labored in software program growth roles in Nigeria and america.

He was a former worker of economic companies agency E-Settlement and later based HostCabal, a website hosting firm.

Bumpa, which he co-founded, automates retail operations for small companies. In 2022, the startup secured $4 million in seed funding and has since facilitated over N160 billion in transactions for 60,000 SMEs.

Aftermath of the crash

Witnesses alleged that Ms Adams-Odutayo, a healthcare skilled and head of well being at an insurance coverage brokerage agency, refused to exit her car or help Mr Opayele.

A bystander claimed she averted contact with him to forestall “blood from staining her automotive.”

Bystanders struggled to get assist as a number of autos refused to cease. An Uber driver ultimately agreed to move Mr Opayele, however two hospitals reportedly denied him therapy.

In a remaining try, witnesses pressured Ms Adams-Odutayo to accompany them to a different hospital.

Mr Opayele was pronounced lifeless shortly after midnight.

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Controversy

Following the accident, Ms Adams-Odutayo allegedly sought medical consideration for herself on the hospital and later tried to flee.

Since her arrest, her household has reportedly used private connections to affect the case, with the police charging her solely with reckless driving.

She was detained for a single night time earlier than securing bail set at N1 million with two sureties, which she met the identical day.

Her swift launch has fueled public criticism, with Mr Opayele’s household, pals, and colleagues calling for stricter authorized motion.