We’ll unravel mystery behind death of Ondo varsity former Registrar – Court

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

A Coroner’s Inquest inaugurated by the Ondo state government to investigate the death of the Registrar of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, Ezekiel Imole Adeniran, has vowed to unravel the mystery behind his death.

Recall that the coroner’s inquest came following the insistence by the family members of the former Registrar that he was assassinated, while others claimed that he took his own life by purchasing and drinking poison following a white paper that indicted him and recommended his dismissal.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olukayode Ajulo SAN, said the decision followed the insistence of the deceased’s family that Adeniran was forced to drink poison.

Ajulo noted that there were also conflicting accounts, including claims that the 41-year-old registrar took his own life after purchasing and drinking poisonous substances following a white paper that indicted him and recommended his dismissal.

However, the family, insisted he was forced to drink poison by unknown assailants and also alleged that some officials of the university were behind the mysterious death.

The court presided by Dr Dickson Ogunfuyi, has however, declared that it would unravel whether the late officer committed suicide or was forced to drink poison at gunpoint.

Ogunfuyi said there were conflicting reports that the late Registrar committed suicide by drinking poison to conceal atrocities levelled against him or that some gunmen invaded his house and forced him to drink poison.

The driver of the deceased Registrar, Mr Olowoyo Odunayo Adewale, told the coroner inquest that his late boss was invited by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police investigating an allegation of certificate forgery.

According to Adewale, one of his friends, known as Taiwo, stood as sureties for the deceased Registrar when he was invited for interrogation over an allegation of certificate forgery by the CID.

According to him, “On Thursday preceding his death, he went to the police CID. He was asked to come back on Monday. That he would be called on the day.

“We waited, but he was not called. It was when we were going back to Ondo on Monday that the Police called him to report on Tuesday.

“However, the next Tuesday was a public holiday. We were to go to the CID on Wednesday when the incident happened.”

Explaining what happened on the day of his boss death, Adewale said, “I took his wife to work and his children to school. I used to stay with him when he was in Akure.

“After I returned, I was in the waiting room expecting his call. He came out of the room.

” I was in the room when his friend, known as Taye, called and asked after him.

“He said I should give him my phone so that he could speak with me, but I declined because I did not enter his room.

” I called him, but he did not answer. Mr Taye said I should not end the call and that I should check the surroundings. It was there that I saw him on the floor.”

Adewale said it was the neighbours of the deceased helped carry him and dropped him beside the car.

He said that when they wanted to pour water on him, he said his matter was not convulsed by that he was given poison by some gunmen who invaded the house.

Also, the medical doctor who received the body of the deceased when he was brought to the police clinic, Dr Iyaomolere Fayowole, told the coroner’s inquest that the late Registrar said he was forced to take a substance at gunpoint.

Fayowole said the patient was not fully conscious when he was brought to the hospital adding that the deceased did not regain consciousness until he handed him over.

He, however, said the late Registrar, in his subconscious state, had taken poison at gunpoint.

According to him “What he kept saying in his subconscious state was that he was forced to drink a substance at gunpoint. He did not identify those who held him and forced him to take the poison.”

Fayowole said he was later informed that the patient, who later died, regained his consciousness and communicated with his family.

According to him “there was no sign of bruises to show signs of a struggle between his suspected assailants and the deceased.

He said the “blood pressure of the late Registrar was high at 200/120, and there was excessive salivation, abdominal pain, and vomiting.

“These signs,were suggestive of poison or abuse of another substance.

Meanwhile, the Coroner’s Inquest has fixed September 22 for the continuation of the hearing of the death of the late Registrar of the state owned Medical University.

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