The Health Worker in Ife-Central Local Government Area of Osun State, Adejumo Fatai has on Thursday, explained how the remains of Timothy Adegoke, the slain student of Obafemi Awolowo University was buried.
Fatai, who was the prosection witness seven, said the body of a pauper was dragged into the grave with ropes.
He said the while answering questions from Kehinde Eleja, SAN under cross-examination at the resumption of trial of the suspects before Justice Adepele Ojo. He said the ropes were not retightened on the pauper’s body when he was buried.
While being led into examination by the Prosecution counsel, M. Omosun, the PW 7 said the council was alerted of the body by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Moore division and the burial conducted was sanctioned by the council.
“When I got to the office on November 9, 2021, the Divisional Police Officer had dropped a memo in respect of the need to remove the pauper. The letter was addressed to the chairman and Police Area Commander, Ife, was copied.
The letter underwent due process at the local government. About 8 officers worked on the letter before it was approved. The approval was given to me by the management of Ife Central local government to remove and bury the pauper. A Sum of N20,000 was approved by the LGA to pay casual labourers hired for the burial.
“After I got the approval, I proceeded to the scene that the DPO described for us where the pauper was found. When we got there, we took a photograph of how we buried the pauper. Then we discovered that the corpse was in a complete state of decay. As a result, we could not move the remains from the place where it was found. We decided to dig a grave beside the corpse at the set back of the road and then we fumigated the surroundings before, during and after the burial.
“We concluded the burial around 2:pm. After the burial. I later sent soft copies of the pictures taken during the burial to the WhatsApp number of the chairman, Ife Central local government and it was well acknowledged by the chairman.
“I didn’t hear anything about the incident again until November 25, 2021, when I was called by the DPO, Moore Division to come and meet some officers from State Police Headquarters, in respect of the burial. On that day, I made a statement with the officials.
Pictures taken during the process of the burial were also released to the officers. Also, on 6th December 2021, another set of officers from Force Headquarters, came to Ife Central local government but I was not around to see them. I was directed to report in Osogbo the following day. I wrote a statement and I equally submitted photographs of burial process. I also submitted approval I got from LGA for the burial”, he said.
His phone was tendered as exhibited by the prosecution counsel, through all the defence counsel objected to the admissibility of the phone and memory card therein, but agreed to address it during the written address stage.
The phone and memory card was then admitted as exhibited by Justice Adepele Ojo after which the proceeding was adjourned till Monday, March 21, 2022.
(Vanguard)