Speeding driver jailed for 11 years over death of twerking couple

Adele Okojie-Aidonojie was found guilty of causing the deaths of two friends

A woman has been jailed for 11 years for killing a couple who had been standing up "twerking" in the back of her car moments before it crashed.

Adele Okojie-Aidonojie, 23, had been drinking alcohol and driving at more than double the speed limit when her Mini Cooper convertible overturned in Battersea, south London.

Rida Boutjettif, 24, and Mary Macharia, 23, were flung from the vehicle.

They died at the scene and a third passenger, Ben Sidibe, was injured.

Following a trial at the Old Bailey, student Okojie-Aidonojie, from Bromley, was found guilty of two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and one of causing injury by dangerous driving.

Jurors heard the speed limit on Latchmere Road, Battersea, was 30mph

Judge Richard Marks KC described her conduct as "sheer madness", adding: "Especially [as] moments before the collision, your two passengers to your knowledge had been standing up dancing."

He rejected the suggestion someone in the back had tugged her arm, saying: "It is clear there was one reason and one reason only for this collision, namely the grossly excessive speed you were travelling."

The court had heard how the defendant's car was doing at least 62mph in a 30mph zone before it crashed en route from Clapham to Ladbroke Grove early on 16 July 2022.

Mr Boutjettif and Ms Macharia were not wearing seatbelts in the back and had been filmed dancing just before the incident.

The defendant had gone with Mr Sidibe and Ms Macharia to pick up their friend, Mr Boutjettif, from a nightclub where he was working.

Two passengers were killed and a third injured

Mr Sidibe told police that Jamaican music had been playing and he had taken a video of the two other passengers "twerking" in the back.

Okojie-Aidonoji told a witness at the scene: "Don't call the police or ambulance. I'll get arrested."

She then claimed to a police officer the incident was a "hit and run".

Following her conviction, the defendant accepted her driving was dangerous, having previously claimed it was merely careless.

In a letter read to the court, she wrote: "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."

Anger

She apologised to her then-boyfriend, Mr Sidibe, saying she hoped he was able to move on, adding: "I never meant to hurt any of you."

The victims' families expressed anger at the defendant's behaviour, as well as sadness.

Ms Macharia's mother said she had a "special bond" with her daughter who was "one in a million".

She disputed the defendant's claim that she was her daughter's "best friend", saying she had met her just once.

Mr Boutjettif's family described how he had stepped up at the age of 16 after the death of his father, going to college and training to become a gas engineer.

"He was a very caring person who had love for everyone he met," they said.

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