LASG defends VIS director, insists motorist burned vehicle


The Lagos State Government has defended the Director of the Vehicle Inspection Service, Gbolahan Toriola, over allegations that he assaulted a motorist, Oluwadamilare Afolarin, and ordered his detention in a police cell for three days.

The state Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Transportation, Biola Fagunwa, said Oluwadamilare burned his own vehicle on the agency’s premises, adding that his footprints were visible at the scene.

He added that the victim’s family told the government while begging for his release from detention that he was mentally unstable. The family, however, denied the claim.

PUNCH Metro had reported that Oluwadamilare’s car was impounded at the Ilaje, Ajah area of Lagos State, after he was alleged to be driving a car with a cracked windscreen.

He was billed N80,000 on the grounds that he also did not have any vehicle particulars, though the victim presented a vehicle registration document.

Two weeks after the car was impounded, Oluwadamilare said he was about paying the fine into the government coffers when he was asked to proceed to the Ojodu Berger office of the agency.

There, he was told by an official, Akeem, that the car was burnt.

Akeem, who is the deputy head of the VIS, Eti-Osa, was said to have offered Oluwadamilare N200,000, which the latter turned down.

The VIS official then took him to the director’s office at Alausa.

After Akeem had a closed-door meeting with the VIS director, Toriola, the victim was said to have been invited into the office and accused of burning the car.

The director was alleged to have slapped Oluwadamilare and ordered the seizure of his shoes and phone, saying his footprints were seen at the scene.

The 42-year-old was then driven to the Ogombo Police Division, where he was detained for three days before he was released after being allegedly forced to sign an undertaking not to report the case on the social media or to the press.

However, the Director of Public Affairs of the ministry of transportation, Fagunwa, said the government had no hand in the victim’s ordeal.

He said, “The said car, belonging to Mr. Afolarin Oluwadamilare, is not a Honda Accord but an old Rover Saloon car and it was impounded on June 29, 2016.

“The vehicle had a shattered windscreen, no functional headlights, worn-out tyres, no valid Ministry of Transportation Road Worthiness certificate and no valid insurance. All of these attracted a total fine of N80,000, and he was issued ticket no. 0240330.

“In line with his rights under the law, he visited the VIS yard, removed valuables from the vehicle, and took pictures. Among the valuables were the battery of the car, his tools, cylinder, and other useful items. This was on July 8, 2016.

“The explosion occurred on July 9, 2016, at about 11.30pm. The case was immediately reported at the Ogombo Police Station.

“During investigations by the police, the owner of the vehicle was fingered. The footprints found matched the shoes he wore on the day he was accosted.

“After the incident, we commenced a tracing of the man through our database. However, he did not sleep at home, but in a hotel close to our premises. This we found suspicious.

“Based on the above, the police remanded him. Family members showed up to seek his release. They pleaded that he was mentally unstable. On compassionate grounds, he was allowed to sign an undertaking absolving the VIS of any complicity in the arson.”

He claimed that the VIS director did not assault Oluwadamilare because Toriola was a “perfect gentleman, whose mien and disposition cannot be violent.”

The victim, Oluwadamilare, in his reaction, said the VIS lied against him to cover up their misdeeds.

He noted that he only took his tools from the car in the presence of the VIS officials.

“How can I burn my own means of livelihood? I never took more than my tools. They forced me to write an undertaking not to inform the press. These lies are unfounded,” he added.

His father, Ogunbolujo, said he paid a visit to the VIS office at Ikeja only once, adding that Toriola was not around.

“The VIS officers we met told us to be patient that they would talk to their boss and the government would buy my son another car to replace the burnt one. They acknowledged that the car got burnt in their custody. I can’t believe they are saying my son has mental problem. When did we say that? God forbid,” he added.

The victim’s sister, Taiwo Ogunyemi, described the ministry’s claim as “wicked”.

She said, “We got a human rights activist to follow us to the VIS office at Alausa and they promised to get back to us. That was last year. We couldn’t see their director. Because of the car they burnt, Oluwadamilare’s three children have been withdrawn from school. One of them is managing with me. My brother is suffering. They are wicked and evil people.”

The manager of the hotel where Oluwadamilare allegedly stayedat the time of the incident, Kingsley Ogbuehi, told PUNCH Metro that the victim painted the hotel in 2013 when it was constructed.

He said,“We call him to do some repairs for us from time to time. When this incident happened and the VIS followed him to the hotel to collect the ticket back. I was the one that told them the ticket was with a lawyer. I foresaw their plan to turn the case against him.”


http://punchng.com/lasg-defends-vis-director-insists-motorist-burned-vehicle/

Lagos state shouldnt allow itself be dragged into an unGodly lie just to cover the tracks of corrupt and incompetent VIS officials but should instead find out what could have actually started a fire in their car pound and make sure the man is compensated for the loss of his vehicle under their custody

“During investigations by the police, the owner of the vehicle was fingered. The footprints found matched the shoes he wore on the day he was accosted



Imagine what those nonsense policemen are saying?


Is he the only one that went to that yard?



If he was allowed to remove his valuables why won't his footprint be there



Is there no security in their yard?


How come only his vehicle was burnt since it was parked in their yard and there was no security around to move other vehicles




LASG is telling stupid Lies here

aside wickedness, these people are just plain stupid, they cant even lie with sense.
he removed battery which you confirmed, how come the fire was triggerd midnight of the next day? that's about 36hrs after taking away his valuables.
Considering the nature of the vehicle, it was probably having a defective fuel tank, the foolish night guards went to its side to smoke his weed, then dropped the leftover on the ground beside the tank, now they are seeking for scapegoat