During a Lagos state High Court trial at the Tafawa Balewa Square, pathologist Prof. Sunday Shoyemi provided crucial testimony, stating that the death of a 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, was the result of blunt force trauma to the head.
Prof. Shoyemi attributed the cause of death to craniocerebral injury resulting from blunt force trauma. He gave this testimony during the ongoing trial of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Ominnikoron, who faces multiple charges, including rape and murder of Ayanwole.
The prosecution alleges that Ominnikoron, in collaboration with others who remain at large, raped and murdered the 22-year-old passenger without her consent. The incident reportedly occurred on February 26, 2022, between the Lekki Ajah expressway and Carter Bridge.
The charges against Ominnikoron include rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and murder, and they contravene various sections of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
During the trial, Prof. Shoyemi revealed that before performing the autopsy, the deceased’s body had been embalmed. He noted that the body lacked clothing but had a silver-colored ring on the middle right finger of the deceased. Prof. Shoyemi’s examination revealed multiple bruises on the deceased, including the left side of the forehead, the right temple above the ear, and the back of the skull.
Internally, the pathologist identified Subdural hematoma, which signifies bleeding into the soft tissue covering the skull or the brain. This bleeding was observed in both the frontal and rear areas of the skull. Additionally, he found multiple fractures at the back of the skull and a fracture at the temporal bone above the ear.
Prof. Shoyemi also mentioned deep bruising on both lower lips. He noted that aside from an incidental finding of cysts on the right ovary, the deceased’s organs were essentially normal and unrelated to her cause of death.
