The management of Chrisland Schools in Lagos has been granted permission to conduct an independent autopsy on Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old pupil of the school who died during the school’s inter-house sports held at the Agege stadium in Lagos on February 9.
Magistrate Olabisi Fajana, the coroner inquiring into the cause of death of Ms Adeniran, granted the approval on Tuesday, April 4. The school requested permission to access some items obtained from the corpse of the deceased. They intend to consult with an independent forensic pathologist. Also, they want the consultant to testify accurately on his findings before the court.
The items ordered to be released to the school include;
- The paraffin block of the skin sample and slides from which the diagnosis of electrocution was made
- The samples of the urine, blood, and other body fluid collected at the autopsy
- Samples of bone and muscle that were taken from the deceased for independent DNA analysis
- All photographs taken during the conduct of the autopsy
- Copies of any other working samples and documents made in the course of the autopsy
- The result of all toxicology tests conducted.
Furthermore, the school argued that its representative pathologist only attended the initial autopsy. This was the first autopsy carried out by the government and the pathologist was there as an observer. Furthermore, they did not carry out any tests or dealt with any samples. The Lagos State Government had arraigned the school, its principal, vice principal, and two others before the State High Court in Ikeja on a two-count charge of involuntary manslaughter and reckless and negligent acts.
They have pleaded not guilty and were granted bail.
cc: PremiumTimes
