A young woman who killed a couple who were standing up and “twerking” in the back of her convertible moments before it crashed received an 11-year prison sentence.
Adele Okojie-Aidonojie, 23, had been drinking and driving at more than twice the speed limit when her Mini Cooper overturned in Battersea, south London.
The vehicle threw away passengers Rida Boutjettif, 24, and Mary Macharia, 23, killing them instantly, while her boyfriend, Ben Sidibe, suffered a fractured arm and a brain bleed.
The Old Bailey found student Okojie-Aidonojie of Bromley, south London, guilty of two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and one of causing harm by dangerous driving.
It is evident that there was only one reason for this collision, and that was the extremely excessive speed you were going at.
Judge Richard Marks
Judge Richard Marks KC characterized her actions as “sheer madness” on Friday, adding: “Especially moments before the collision, your two passengers, to your knowledge, had been standing up and dancing.”
He denied that someone in the back had tugged her arm, saying, “It is clear there was one and only one reason for this collision, namely the grossly excessive speed you were traveling.”
The judge also paid respect to the victims’ families, who had been “utterly devastated by the untimely, tragic, and needless deaths.”.
The court heard how the defendant’s Mini was traveling at least 62 mph in a 30 mph zone before colliding on the route from Clapham to Ladbroke Grove early on July 16, 2022.
Mr. Boutjettif and Ms. Macharia were not wearing seatbelts in the rear and had been seen dancing moments before the accident.
Prosecutor Sally Mertens stated that the defendant went with Mr. Sidibe and Ms. Macharia to pick up their buddy, Mr. Boutjettif, from the nightclub where he worked.
Mr. Sidibe told police that Jamaican music was playing and that he had recorded a video of the two other passengers “twerking” in the back.
Just before the crash, CCTV footage showed the Mini traveling at 62 mph before its wheels began to grind against the higher kerbstones on Latchmere Road, and the vehicle toppled.
The defendant told a witness on the scene, “Do not call the police or ambulance. “I’ll be arrested.”
She then told a police officer that the incident was a “hit and run.”.
She cared profoundly for her family. She had a huge smile and was constantly laughing.
Ms. Macharia’s mother, Tabitha
Following her conviction, the defendant admitted her driving was dangerous, although she had previously claimed it was simply reckless.
She expressed her deep sorrow for the loss of both Mary and Rida in a letter to the court.
“I deeply apologize for the premature removal of them, as it was my fault.”
“I miss them both very much. Every day, I think about them.”
Addressing the victims’ families, she said, “I hope you now have a sense of closure and have received the justice you sought.” You deserve it.
“I am certain I will never forget how joyful they made me. I hope that one day you will accept my apologies and condolences.”
She apologized to her then-boyfriend, Mr. Sidibe, and said she hoped he could move on, adding, “I never meant to hurt any of you.”
The families of the victims expressed both outrage and sadness over the defendant’s actions.
Ms. Macharia’s mother, Tabitha, said she had a “special bond” with her daughter, who was “one in a million”—kind, , compassionate, devoted, affectionate, and hardworking.
In a victim impact statement, she stated, “She loved her family dearly. She had a huge smile and was constantly laughing.”
She denied the defendant’s claim that she was her daughter’s “best friend,” stating she only met her once, when she discovered she passed out at Ms. Macharia’s birthday party.
Mr. Boutjettif’s mother, Nabila, and sister, Rabab, detailed how he stepped up at the age of 16 following his father’s death.
He then refused to let a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis prevent him from attending college and studying to become a gas engineer.
According to their statement, “He was a very caring person who had love for everyone he met.”
After her release from prison, Okojie-Aidonojie faced a six-year driving ban.
