Oyo Judicial Panel orders hospitals board to release corpse of trader to family

The Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Thursday ordered the Oyo State Hospitals Management Board to release the corpse of an Ibadan-based trader, Kehinde Omotoso, who died in police custody last July to the family for burial.

Tribune Online reports that the trader was arrested by police officers from Iyaganku, Ibadan for an offence allegedly committed by his nephew.

The panel gave the order after the defense closed its case with the testimony of its last witness, Inspector Ibrahim Shuaib, who was one of the police officers that arrested Omotoso, as well as the testimony of a doctor with the State General Hospital, who was summoned by the panel to clarify issues such as the location of the corpse and condition of Omotoso when he was brought to the hospital.

The family of late Omotoso had lodged a complaint on the Flagit App of the Akin Fadeyi Foundation immediately after his death and the foundation had contacted the Afe Babalola chambers to take over the matter.

In his testimony, Dr Olawale Oladimeji had stated that Omotoso was brought in dead to the hospital on July 21, 2020, around 11.15 am by Sergeant Ibrahim Shuaibu of SCID, Iyaganku, adding that all they did was to confirm him dead as there was no sign of life in him. He added that the remains were then moved to the morgue where he confirmed the corpse was still kept.

Toyese Owoade from Afe Babalola Chambers who is the legal representative of the family had applied that the panel order a release of the corpse to the family so they can bury their dead almost a year after his demise and the panel had granted the request, adding that the panel will make its recommendations on the matter.

Earlier, Inspector Shuaib confirmed during cross-examination before the panel that they had not concluded investigations to determine whether Omotoso was guilty of allegations against him before his death, adding that nothing incriminating was found in his house when it was searched. He also confirmed that the order for his remand was taken the morning he died.

Meanwhile, the case of Jimoh Isiaq – the young man allegedly killed in Ogbomoso by police bullet during the #EndSARs protest – was also heard.

The prosecution called its sixth witness, Dr Olumuyiwa Ayodele Ogunlaja, the Director of Clinical Services at the Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, who submitted a medical report that was admitted and tagged Exhibit P.

The case delineated OYJPPB/001, however, had to be adjourned on the request of the prosecuting counsel, who asked for an adjournment to allow them to produce the last witness, who is the doctor that carried out an autopsy on Jimoh Isiaq.

The panel granted the request and adjourned till June 10, for the prosecution to close its case and for the defense to open its case.

Another matter delineated OYJPPB/062 between Alhaja Olayinka Akinbo against Dr Muhammed Tajudeen Ishola Lawal, on circumstances surrounding her husband’s death was struck out on the request of the petitioner on the ground that the defendant died last week. The panel however instructed the petitioner to visit its secretariat so that actions will be taken to rehabilitate her.

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