Mortuary operator, attendant docked in Ondo over missing corpse

[Edoman]

Mortuary operator, attendant docked in Ondo over missing corpse

 April 30, 2020




Two men, Chief Oladejo Edubi and Samuel Oluwatodimu, on Thursday, were docked before Chief Magistrate Olubunmi Dosunmu in Owo, Ondo State, over the disappearance of a corpse from a morgue in Isuada community, Owo Local Government Area of the state.

The defendants were arrested and arraigned before the court following the missing of the corpse of one Mrs. Rebecca Ogunoye at Adeyemi Clinic.


It was gathered that Edubi is the owner of the mortuary where the corpse of the late Mrs. Ogunoye was deposited while Oluwatodimu happened to be the mortuary attendant.

The duo were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit misdemeanor, indecently interfered with a corpse and disposed off, of the corpse without the consent of the family.

The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Owolabi Edu told the court that the offence committed was contrary and punishable under Sections 517, 242 and 249 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State,2006.


The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them.

The counsel to the defendants, Mr. Osaze Uwadie pleaded with the court to grant his clients bail which he said was a constitutional right but at the discretion of the court.

In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Olubunmi Dosunmu, granted the defendants bail to the tune of N200,000.00 each and one surety in the like sum.


The court also barred the clinic from taking new corpse for embalmment in the morgue pending the determination of the substantive case.

The Magistrate also ordered that the comprehensive list of already deposited corpses should be forwarded to the registrar of the court.

The case was subsequently adjourned till June 10, 2020, for further hearing.