The High Court sentencing of Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima, to five years imprisonment for manslaughter, has been upheld by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command had in 2005 charged the ex-beauty queen to the magistrate court on a two-count charge of dangerous and reckless driving along Epe Expressway, Lagos which resulted to the death of Dr. Giwa Suraj.

Justice Deborah Oluwayemi had convicted Fiberesima of manslaughter, ruling that Fiberesima’s reckless driving led to the death of Dr. Suraj.

Although a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court in Igbosere had initially ordered Fiberesima to pay a fine of N100, 000 for the offence, however, Justice Oluwayemi upturned the verdict and ordered that the N100, 000 should be refunded to her while she should proceed on five years imprisonment.

Subsequently, the actress headed to the Court of Appeal to upturn the verdict.

In an unanimous decision reached on Friday, a three-man appellate court panel, dismissed Fiberesima’s notice of appeal adjudging it as lacking in merit.

The panel, comprising Justices U.I. Ndukwe-Anyanwu and Justice Tijani Abubakar, was led by Justice Jamilu Tukur.

According to the panel, the magistrate court, which ordered Fiberesima to pay a N100, 000 fine after conviction, misused its discretion.

The court stated that the N100, 000 imposed on Fiberesima did not serve the purpose of justice while the magistrate’s verdict was described judicial recklessness.

The court ruled that Section 28 of the Road Traffic Law clearly provides that where a reckless and dangerous driving has caused the death of a person, the accused person shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment of seven years.

After the Appeal Court verdict was read on Friday, Fiberesima, evidently shaken, let out a stream of tears.

Her lawyer however, notified the Appeal Court, that the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, would challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court.

Ada Igboanugo