Court jails driver seven years for causing passenger’s death over N20

A Katsina State High Court sitting in Malumfashi on Wednesday sentenced a commercial bus driver, Hassan Sanusi, to seven years imprisonment without an option of a fine, for causing the death of a passenger over N20 change disagreement.

Sanusi, 35, of Shuwaki Quarters in Funtua, Katsina State, was convicted after being found guilty of the offence of culpable homicide not punishable with death, according to Section 224 of the Penal Code.

According to the charge sheet, the offence occurred on Nov. 2, 2012, at Danja junction in Bakori local government area when Sanusi was said to have negligently and rashly driven his Toyota bus and smashed the head of one Hajara Idris with a rear tyre, over a N20 change disagreement with his conductor.

Idris was hospitalised and died as the result of the injuries sustained.

Delivering the judgment, the trial judge, Justice Abbas Bawale, said he had taken cognisance of the convict’s plea for leniency. However, he must be punished to serve as a deterrent to others as the deceased was lying in the grave, waiting for justice.

Bawale said the prosecution had successfully proved the case beyond reasonable doubt as required by law, adding that the lead prosecution counsel, Mr Sani Danmanlam, led seven witnesses and tendered six exhibits during the trial.

He said the testimonies and exhibits had corroborated the occurrence of the offence and sentenced the convict to seven years imprisonment, without an option of fine.

Meanwhile, the Court has discharged Abdullahi Haruna, 29, the Bus Conductor, for failure of the prosecution to prove his charge of abetting Sanusi to commit the offence of culpable homicide.

Haruna of Tudun Wada Quarters in Funtua, regained freedom as he was in prison custody since the case was first mentioned on April 30, 2014, for his failure to meet up with the bail conditions, but Sanusi, who enjoyed bail was apprehended and taken to prison after the verdict.