A woman who killed a pair who were “twerking” while standing up in the back of her car has been imprisoned for eleven years. In Battersea, south London, Adele Okojie-Aidonojie, 23, was driving her Mini Cooper convertible at over twice the speed limit while intoxicated.
Mary Macharia, 23, and Rida Boutjettif, 24, were thrown from the car. Ben Sidibe, a third passenger, was hurt at the site, and they both passed away.
Okojie-Aidonojie, a Bromley student, was found guilty of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing harm by dangerous driving after a trial at the Old Bailey.
Road at Latchmere Road, Battersea where the incident took place
Judge calls it “Madness”
Her actions were called “sheer madness” by Judge Richard Marks KC, who also noted that “your two passengers to your knowledge had been standing up dancing moments before the collision.”
“It is clear there was one reason and one reason only for this collision, namely the grossly excessive speed you were travelling,” he said, rejecting the theory that someone in the back had pulled her arm.
Before it crashed early on July 16, 2022, while traveling from Clapham to Ladbroke Grove, the defendant’s car was traveling at least 62 mph in a 30 mph zone, according to testimony given to the court. Prior to the incident, Mr. Boutjettif and Ms. Macharia were seen dancing and were not wearing seatbelts in the rear.
The defendant, along with Mr. Sidibe and Ms. Macharia, had gone to pick up their friend, Mr. Boutjettif, who was employed at a nightclub. Mr. Sidibe reported to the police that he had recorded the two other passengers “twerking” in the back and that Jamaican music had been playing. “Don’t call the police or ambulance,” Okojie-Aidonoji said to a witness on the scene. I’m going to get arrested.”
She later told a policeman that it was a “hit and run” occurrence. After being found guilty, the defendant acknowledged that her driving was risky, even though she had earlier maintained it was only negligent. She said in a letter read aloud to the court:
“I’m really sorry for both the loss of Mary and Rida.
“I’m really sorry they were taken too soon and this was down to me.
“I miss them both very dearly. There is not a day that goes by I’m not thinking of them.”
