UNTH Releases Detained Corpse of Woman After Two Years, Offers Job to Her Child

The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) in Enugu State has finally released the body of Mrs. Janet Nwaosu, over two years after it was detained by the hospital following her alleged death due to medical negligence.

It was  learned that the remains of Mrs. Nwaosu were handed over to her family after coordinated efforts by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Enugu Annex. Her body was buried shortly after its release.

Although the full details of the settlement remain unclear, a police source revealed that the UNTH management made financial contributions towards the burial and offered employment to one of Mrs. Nwaosu’s children as part of the resolution. The source confirmed that the hospital also forfeited the accumulated mortuary fees.

“The body of the woman has been released to the family for burial. The matter has been settled, with the hospital providing financial support for the burial and offering a job to one of the children. The mortuary bill was also waived,” said the police source.

This case dates back to October 18, 2022, when Mrs. Nwaosu, a resident of Mgbowo, Awgu Local Government Area, allegedly died after being injected by hospital staff. The family accused Dr. Chibuoke and a nurse of administering a fatal drug. Despite the family’s claims and their efforts to retrieve her body, the hospital kept it in its custody for 18 months, denying the family access. At the time, they claimed the hospital used police harassment to suppress their demand for justice.

SaharaReporters previously reported on the family’s ongoing struggle, with Mrs. Nwaosu’s daughter, Augustina, accusing the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Obinna Onodugo, of threatening the family and obstructing police investigations. Augustina had described how the CMD allegedly vowed to make their lives difficult for demanding accountability for her mother’s death. She also claimed that Dr. Jide Uzoigwe, the former Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at UNTH, had told the family that they would continue to incur costs while the hospital thwarted the police investigation.

Despite efforts to contact the family for further comment, Augustina Nwaosu did not respond to calls or messages. Similarly, UNTH’s spokesperson, Cyril Keleze, was unavailable for comment.