In the trial of the case against one Olalekan Ogunyemi, the policeman who allegedly killed a football fan, Kolade Johnson, pathologist, Oluwaseun Williams, has said that the autopsy conducted on the corpse of the diseased revealed that he suffered six gunshot injuries.
Ogunyemi had been dismissed by the Lagos State Police Command following the surge of fury that followed the incident which occurred on March 31, 2019, and is currently facing a one-count charge of murder before Justice Adenike Coker.
During the examination-in-chief of the prosecution witness led by Yhaqub Oshoala, Williams narrated to the court that the autopsy carried out on April 10, 2019, revealed that Kolade’s right femoral vessel, which supplied blood to the lower limbs, were separated and destroyed by bullets, which penetrated his front thigh up to the back of the thigh.
He said:
“After verification, we carried out a forensic investigation of the body. We examined his clothing and the content of his pockets. We thereafter proceeded to removing his clothes. We conducted a thorough examination of the body from head to toe and identified multiple defects, both on the anterior and posterior on the right lower limbs.
“A further examination of these defects revealed injuries with round burnt edges, which are suggestive of firearm injuries or gunshots. On further examination of these defects, we were able to identify defects in the tissues of the lower limbs as well as the destruction of the lower limbs, and on conclusion of the autopsy, my team prepared an interim report for the IPO of the case and the original copy of the death certificate was issued to the deceased’s family.”
During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr Abayomi Omotubora, the pathologist added that;
“The injury on the left hemiscrotum was an abrasion, which could be from anything, and the second-hand injury was not related to injuries caused by gunshots.
“Six of the injuries were related to penetrative missiles. The injuries on the thigh were through and through and there were features that were suggestive that they were caused by firearm missiles. We counted six injuries identified as firearm injuries.
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“The anterior defects in the right hemiscrotum and thigh had dark burn edges caused by something hot and penetrative at the same time, which is suggestive of a bullet even though we did not recover any bullet from the deceased. In this case, the cause of death was gunshot injuries.”
The matter was adjourned by Justice Coker till March 19 for the continuation of trial.