The Chief Pathologist of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), John Obafunwa, has submitted the autopsy report from the #EndSars protest in Lagos to the Doris Okuwobi led Lagos Judicial Panel of inquiry.
You would recall that Prof Obafunwa, was directed by the panel at the last proceedings on June 6, to submit the autopsy to reports.
It had also been reported to the panel that 99 persons had died as a result the #EndSARS protests in Lagos.
While presenting his report, Prof Obafunwa had stated that the 99 bodies, which include three killed at the Lekki Toll Gate during the shooting on October 20, 2020 by soldiers, were deposited at the morgue between October 19 and October 24, 2020.
He further stated that, the ethical practice, especially during a ‘mass disaster’ or “a situation where all sorts of speculations arise”, is to do an x-ray “before you put a knife to a body.”
He said, “You need to look for hidden fractures or prosthesis. It will help if such is discovered because it will be circumstantial evidence to make you say that this body belongs to this person.”
“We need to avoid sensationalism. If you look at a page in the report I submitted, all I did was to summarise. However, if I do an autopsy and I do not do radiography, you would tear me to pieces if I come to court with such a record. That is why I had to do everything, leaving nothing to chance.”
His report was however, accepted as evidence as directed by Doris Okuwobi. Further hearing was adjourned till June 26.
