Driver going twice the speed limit killed passengers ‘twerking’ without seat belts on, court hears

A driver travelling at more than twice the speed limit killed two of her passengers as they “twerked” in the back without seat belts on, a court has heard.

Rida Boutjettif and Mary Macharia, both in their early 20s, were in the back of Adele Okojie Aidonojie’s convertible Mini Cooper, with the roof down, when it crashed in Battersea at 3.24am on July 16 2022.

Speed analysis conducted by a forensic collision investigator found Ms Aidonojie was travelling at about 62mph on Latchmere Road, which has a 30mph speed limit.

She denies causing the deaths of the two women and causing serious injury by dangerous driving to Ben Sidibe, the front seat passenger.

Jurors heard Ms Aidonojie had been drinking, but passed a breathalyser test two hours after the crash.

Ms Aidonojie allegedly told witnesses not to call the police or an ambulance, and asked about whether there were cameras on the street, the Old Bailey heard.

Victims not wearing seat belts

Sally Mertens, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was driving a convertible Mini Cooper. The roof was down at the time of the collision.

“Two rear seat passengers had been thrown from the Mini. They had not been wearing seat belts and both suffered catastrophic head injuries and were killed.

“Ben Sidibe was the front seat passenger and was also taken to hospital with a fractured upper arm.

“They had all been drinking. A forensic collision investigator has done a speed analysis, he concluded that the vehicle was travelling at approximately 62 miles per hour. This is more than double the maximum speed for that part of Latchmere Road.”

Ms Mertens said Ms Aidonojie told a witness at the scene: “Don’t call the police or ambulance, I’ll get arrested.”

Ms Aidonojie said there had been a “hit and run”, and asked another witness if the street had cameras, the court heard.

The prosecutor also referred to Mr Sidibe’s statement to police made hours after the incident.

“He remembers the defendant telling their friends to put their seat belts on, but they just ignored her, and the conversation turned to drinking. Mr Sidibe told police that: ‘Rida and Mary were twerking in the back of the car’.”

‘Everyone was safe, everyone was happy’

Mr Sidibe said in his statement that they had been “catching a good vibe” listening to bashment (Jamaican dancehall) music and dancing before the fatal collision.

Jurors heard a recorded witness statement Mr Sidibe gave to police on 22 July 2022, in which he said: “Before we drove off, we all had a shot of Bacardi prior just to get the ride going.

“There was a conversation about seat belts being put on, it wasn’t a thing where anyone acted on it.

“Everyone was safe in the car, everyone was happy.

“During this return journey some bashment music came on, and I was on my phone and I took a quick snap of Rida and Mary dancing in the back of the car.

“Rida then handed me his [sic] phone and asked me to take a recording which I did as well. She bends over and shakes her bum. She was twerking.”

Ms Aidonojie was then encouraged to overtake a car in front by Boutjettif and Macharia, a court heard.

Mr Sidibe said that the crash happened “five to 10 seconds” after the overtaking. He described “opening my eyes and seeing my friends’ bodies” before passing out.

Jurors heard that Ms Aidonojie passed a breath test at 5.33am, almost two hours after the crash.

She denies two counts of death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.