- The court has mandated a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of his death
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the state government to investigate the death of 20-year-old reporter Pelumi Onifade, who was covering the #EndSARS protests in 2020.
Onifade was reportedly arrested by Lagos state task force officers and later found dead in a mortuary in Ikorodu, Lagos.
The court has mandated a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of his death and to identify and prosecute those responsible.
The ruling came after Media Rights Agenda (MRA) filed a suit against the Police and Lagos State Government.
Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji highlighted that while the Attorney-General cannot conduct an inquest without a duplicate case file, the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice Law allows the Attorney-General to request such a file from the Police Commissioner.
Although five claims made by MRA against the Police were dismissed due to lack of evidence, Justice Faji noted that the Attorney-General did not dispute any facts in MRA’s affidavit, only raising a legal issue. During oral arguments, the Attorney-General’s counsel committed to conducting an inquest.
Lagos lawyer Charles Musa, recently nominated for Senior Advocate of Nigeria, filed the originating summons on behalf of MRA, citing constitutional and international human rights violations. The suit sought declarations that the shooting, arrest, and detention of Onifade were unconstitutional and demanded a transparent investigation, a coroner’s inquest, and prosecution of those responsible.
Justice Faji criticised the lack of response from the Police to the summons and highlighted the insufficient evidence provided by MRA, including the absence of eyewitness accounts and documentation from the mortuary.
Consequently, the court dismissed the claims against the police. However, the court directed the Attorney-General to ensure a thorough investigation into Onifade’s death, conduct a coroner’s inquest, and prosecute those responsible.
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