A Nigerian migrant has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment in the United Kingdom after causing the death of a pensioner in a road accident linked to unsafe driving.
The convict, Timothy Kusemi, 41, was said to have been driving without supervision on a provisional licence when he struck 70-year-old Susan Whittles in 2023.
Whittles died at the scene of the incident, while her husband sustained serious injuries.
An inquest into the crash heard that Kusemi had previously failed his UK driving tests twice before the fatal incident. He later pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was convicted last month.
The proceedings also brought to light gaps in the UK’s licensing system, particularly regarding foreign and provisional licence holders.
The coroner, Lorraine Harris, noted that existing regulations allow drivers from certain countries to continue driving within a 12-month period using foreign or international licences, even after failing local driving tests.
She warned that the absence of safeguards enables individuals who repeatedly fail driving assessments to remain on the road without proper supervision, posing significant safety risks.
Kusemi, who arrived in the UK in 2022, reportedly continued to attempt driving tests after the incident and eventually obtained a UK driver’s licence in 2025.
The case has renewed calls for reforms to close identified loopholes in the licensing system and strengthen road safety enforcement.
