A Pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. Sunday Shoyemi, yesterday told a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) that Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) rape victim Oluwabamise Ayanwola’s death was caused by a blunt force trauma.
Shoyemi, the ninth and last prosecuting witness, while giving evidence before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, said that the 22-year-old fashion designer, who was allegedly raped and killed by a BRT driver, in the light of his findings, died as a result of severe craniocerebral injury following a blunt force trauma.
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Nice Ominnikoron, is facing five-count charge offence bordering on felony, sexual assault, rape, conspiracy and murder before Justice Sonaike.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins, Prof. Shoyemi, narrated to the court how the autopsy was conducted.
In his narration, he said that the body had no clothing but a silver-coloured ring was found on her (Bamise’s) middle finger.
He said: “I observed a bruise on the left side of her forehead, another on the right temple just above her ear, and a large bruise on the back of her skull. In addition, there was a bruise on the elbow region.”
He said these findings were on the external appearance of the deceased, adding that all these observations occurred before the autopsy was conducted.
“Upon opening up the body, there’s what we call Subdural hematoma, which means bleeding into the soft tissue covering the skull or bleeding into the brain. This was noticed on the frontal area as well as the back of the skull.
“Again, there was a fracture of the temporal bone, meaning the bone above the ear.
“I checked for deep bruising, meaning ‘the bruises we will not be able to see under the skin unless it is removed. These deep bruises were found on both lower lips. The organs were essentially normal except the right ovary which has a cyst (fluid collection).”
He said this was an incidental finding which has nothing to do with death.
He went further to tell the court that “tiny samples were taken from all the organs and were sent to the laboratories. The samples were looked at under the microscope and no remarkable findings were seen.”
“I specifically took samples of the breast and uterus to check for pregnancy but nothing was found. In the light of both the external and internal findings, death was ascribed to severe craniocerebral injury, following a blunt force trauma.
Prof. Shoyemi also told the court that during the examination, he took samples from the deceased for identification, adding that another sample was taken for toxicology, which was also sent to the Lagos State DNA Forensic Laboratory.
He clarified that the interim report had been given to the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), CSP Oseni, the head of homicide, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, who was also present during the autopsy and gave the full report to the DPP.
While being cross-examined by the defence counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, the witness confirmed to the court that the IPO provided all the information about the deceased before the autopsy was conducted.
He however clarified that the information provided by the IPO does not form the basis of the cause of Bamise’s death.
-Thenation
