A fake LASTMA officer identified as Omotutu Bamidele has been sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Lagos State Special Offences Mobile Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi
Bamidele, 55, was parading himself as an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and extorting money from motorists in the state. He was arrested last weekend on Olu Holloway Road, around the Alfred Rewane area of Ikoyi by a LASTMA Monitoring/Surveillance team.
He was arraigned by LASTMA on Monday, March 27, 2023, on a 2-count charge of impersonating as a public officer by claiming to be a staff of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (S.78 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015)” and obtaining money by fraudulent trick (Sec. 323 of the Criminal Law, Lagos State) before the court.
The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, said Magistrate Kehinde Ogundare sentenced Bamidele to a 2-year jail term without any option of fine after he pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against him.
Magistrate Ogundare stressed that the convict should serve the jail term without any option fine due to the gravity of the offences committed.
The Court Prosecutor Barr. Olufemi Adekunle stated that both offences levied against the convict contravened Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015).
Reacting to the judgement, the General Manager of LASTMA Mr Bolaji Oreagba, said it was a welcome development as it would serve as a deterrent to others who are still extorting money from innocent members of the public under false pretence.
He said;
“Our (LASTMA) Monitoring and Surveillance Unit which has now been fully restructured would continue to hunt for other bad elements disturbing the peace of the society.”
