Kemisola Oye
A Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Ogba will on Monday 6th March 2023 commence sitting over Coroner inquest on the cause of death of 12-year-old Adeniran Whitney Omodesola, the late student of Chrisland School, Opebi, Lagos.
Magistrate (Mrs) O. Fajana will during court sessions attempt to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Whitney who died on 9th February 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports activities at the Agege Stadium, Lagos.
She was buried last Thursday in Lagos after an autopsy conducted by Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on 1st March 2023 which revealed that she died as a result of asphyxia and electrocution.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the state government through the Ministry of Justice, the Lagos State government disclosed that certain persons were making plans to exhume the body of the deceased.
The state said it will oppose any attempt to exhume the body.
The statement signed by Grace Alo, Director, Public Affairs said: “The Lagos State Ministry of Justice is aware of the ongoing dialogue about the alleged plans to exhume the body of the late Whitney Omodesola Adeniran, a student of Chrisland Schools whose death, as revealed by the autopsy conducted by Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, was as a result of asphyxia and electrocution.
“Whilst we have not received any such official communication requesting for exhumation, however, if and when we do receive such a request, we shall be opposed to it”, the statement said.
The statement emphasized: “the circumstances for exhumation under the Coroners’ Systems Law, 2015 do not arise in this case.
“Additionally, it is not our intention to further traumatize the deceased’s family. We are working closely with the Police who have given their reassurance that the duplicate case file would be forwarded on Monday, 6th of March, 2023 to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions to aid the speedy issuance of Legal Advice”, it added.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, (SAN) had earlier said that the post-mortem report revealed the cause of death to be asphyxia and electrocution.
It stated that the Directorate of Public Prosecution had been instructed to issue Legal Advice on the matter with immediate effect.
“The Lagos State Government commiserates with the deceased family while reassuring Lagosians that anybody found culpable would immediately be charged to court.”