An official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, identified as Taye Shittu, has been arrested by the police at Pen Cinema Police Station for allegedly slapping a Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Komolafe Abimbola of Court 2 Ikeja, Lagos, western Nigeria.
She was on her way to the office around Pen Cinema area of Agege when the incident happened on Wednesday.
P.M.NEWS investigation revealed that Shittu accused Mrs. Abimbola of not obeying the traffic light and ordered her to come out of her car.
•Shittu, hiding his face after he was arrested and handcuffed for slapping a Chief Magistrate. PHOTOS: YUSUF MUHAMMED
She was said to have obeyed Shittu’s instruction after which there was an argument between them. During the argument Shittu was said to have slapped Mrs. Abimbola and she sustained injury on her face.
The victim reported the assault at Pen Cinema Police Station and Shittu was promptly arrested by the police.
While confirming the incident, Lagos State Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Damatus Ozoani, said the accused will be charged to court after the conclusion of police investigation.
An official of LASTMA who craved for anonymity, said the attitude of Shittu was an embarrassment to the authority.
A senior official of LASTMA who pleaded for anonymity also told P.M.NEWS that Shittu has been tried internally and was subsequently dismissed from LASTMA and handed over back to the police for prosecution.
“We have conducted a board room trial for him and he has been dismissed from the service. We have also handed him over back to the police for prosecution. We do not condone such act in LASTMA,’’ said the source.
As a result of the incident, P.M.NEWS learnt that the court Mrs. Abimbola is presiding over could not sit yesterday as litigants had to take adjourment for their cases.
When P.M.NEWS visited Pen Cinema Police Station this morning, Shittu was seen in handcuffs being taken to court by the police.
