A bus driver who killed a nine-year-old girl after falling asleep at the wheel while under the influence of drugs has been jailed for four years. Martin Asolo-Ogugua, 23, of Southwark, London, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, June 9 for causing the death of Ada Bicakci by dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs.
The court heard that Asolo-Ogugua had taken cannabis the night before the crash and was sleep-deprived when he started his shift on the morning of Saturday, August 3, 2024. He later fell asleep while driving a bus along Watling Street in Bexleyheath, mounting the opposite pavement and hitting Ada as she cycled with her family. Despite desperate efforts by paramedics and hospital staff, Ada died two days later.
Her family managed to jump to safety and suffered only minor injuries, but Ada was left with catastrophic trauma.
Detective Sergeant Sam Miles, who led the investigation for the Met’s Roads and Transport team, said: “Asolo-Ogugua will have to spend the rest of his life regretting the night he chose to stay awake before getting behind the wheel of a bus with cannabis in his system.
“It’s a night that has cost him his freedom and snatched away the life of an innocent little girl.
“In a remarkable show of courage and humility, Ada’s family chose to take her life forward to help others by donating her organs.
“I can only hope today’s sentence brings some closure for Ada’s family who have remained a pillar of strength throughout these proceedings.”
Officers were called to the scene at around 9.03am. Witnesses described seeing the bus veer off course just moments before the collision. A roadside drug test confirmed Asolo-Ogugua had cannabis in his system, and he was arrested at the scene.
Detectives traced CCTV footage showing the bus leaving its depot around 8.45am and following it along London Road, confirming the exact moment the driver lost consciousness. The footage showed the bus drifting across the carriageway and mounting the pavement without any braking.
Asolo-Ogugua was charged on February 13 and later pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence of drugs, and driving while over the drug limit. He has also been banned from driving for seven years.
Ada’s father, Bora, described the lasting impact of his daughter’s death, saying: “The images of that horrific moment remain seared into my mind. That scene replays endlessly, a constant reminder of the day my world fractured beyond repair.”
He added: “We will honour your name with acts of magnitude. You will never be forgotten.”
Senior Crown Prosecutor Miranda Jollie said: “His actions have robbed a young girl of her entire life… and highlight the devastating consequences of drug driving.”