Coroner’s inquest probes death of former UNIMED Registrar

The Coroner’s Inquest investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the former Registrar of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED), Mr. Ezekiel Imoleayo Adeniran, has pledged to establish whether the deceased committed suicide or was forced to ingest poison at gunpoint.

The inquest was convened following conflicting claims about the cause of death, while some accounts suggested Adeniran took his own life after being indicted in a government white paper that recommended his dismissal, his family insisted he was poisoned by unknown assailants suspected to have links with university officials.

Presiding over the case, Coroner Dr. Dickson Ogunfuyi said the court must resolve the contradictions: whether the Registrar acted on his own or was attacked by armed men who compelled him to take poison.

Testifying, the deceased’s driver, Mr. Olowoyo Odunayo Adewale, explained that his boss had been under investigation by the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over alleged certificate forgery.

Adewale disclosed that he stood as sureties for his boss along with one of his friends, Taiwo, when the late Adeniran was invited for questioning by the police

He said, “On Thursday before his death, he went to the CID and was told to return on Monday. He was later asked to report on Tuesday, but because it was a public holiday, we planned to return on Wednesday. That was the day the incident happened,”

Narrating the incident that happened on the day of the death, Adewale said, “I took his wife to work and his children to school. I used to stay with him when he was in Akure.

“After I returned, I was in the waiting room expecting his call. He came out of the room. I was in the room when his friend, known as Taye, called and asked after him.

“He said I should give him my phone so that he could speak with me, but I declined because I did not enter his room. I called him, but he did not answer. Mr Taye said I should not end the call and that I should check the surroundings. It was there that I saw him on the floor.”

“Neighbours helped move him beside his car. He kept saying he was poisoned by gunmen who invaded the house,” he testified.

A medical doctor, Dr. Iyaomolere Fayowole, who first attended to the deceased at the police clinic, also gave evidence.

He said the Registrar, though not fully conscious, repeatedly muttered that he had been forced to drink a substance at gunpoint.

Dr. Fayowole explained that the late Registrar’s condition pointed to poisoning, noting symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive salivation, and extremely high blood pressure of 200/120.

However, he added that no bruises or injuries were found on the body to indicate a struggle.

He further revealed that he was later informed that Mr. Adeniran regained consciousness briefly and spoke with his family before his death.

The Coroner’s Inquest has adjourned hearing to September 22 for continuation of proceedings into the mysterious death.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE