Bullet Extracted From Head Of Police Victim Over #EndSARS- Pathologist Reveals (Photos)

A consultant pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Sunday, Shoyemi, on Tuesday, told the judicial panel of Inquiry in Lagos that a bullet was extracted in the body of a victim of police extrajudicial killing. Mr Shoyemi, who is also a senior lecturer at the College of Medicine, LASUTH, appeared before the panel following a summons he received in the case of Charles Otoo, who was said to have been shot by the police. The wife of the deceased, Victoria Otoo, had earlier testified before the panel that her husband was shot on October 21, 2020, by men of the Nigeria Police Force, Ojodu Divisional Headquarters.

Mrs Otoo, who was led in evidence by Adebola Lema, told the panel that the incident happened around 6 p.m. on October 21, a day after the Lekki shooting incident occurred.

“Myself and my husband went to the Bus Stop at Akiode, Ojodu Berger, to buy foodstuffs for the family that evening in the neighborhood market, at Ishola Bello Street.

“After buying what we wanted to buy, the police started shooting. I ran to one side, he ran to another side but it was not far. The police continued shooting, after some minutes, I saw my husband on the floor, he was shot at the head,” Mrs Otoo said.

The deceased’s wife said the officers were led by the Station Officer (SO) of Ojodu Police Division. She alleged that her husband was shot by a female officer, with the name Chinyere.

She told the panel that residents around could not help her husband immediately he was shot because the police were still shooting.

Mrs Otoo said after several gunshots, the police left the area and her husband was rushed to County Hospital, Aguda, with the help of passers-by. He was pronounced dead by one Dosumu Y.A, a doctor.

“The doctor said he has lost a lot of blood, the police shoot him in the head,” she said.

The deceased was described as a responsible father of three who never had any issues with police officers before they shot him.

Pathologist’s testimony

Testifying before the panel on Thursday, Mr Shoyemi confirmed that Mr Otoo died from a gunshot injury sustained to the head.

“Death was caused by severe injury to the brain following a gunshot. We extracted a bullet in the cause of examining the dead body,” the pathologist said, referring to the body of Mr Otoo which he examined.

Mr Shoyemi also presented a bullet extracted from the deceased’s head to the panel, which he said will undergo a ballistic analysis.

The pathologist also presented a post-mortem report of the deceased to the panel.

Doris Okuwobi, a retired judge heading the panel, announced that the panel has sighted the bullet and it would be released for ballistic examination any time it is demanded.

Police witness

The counsel to the Nigerian police, appearing before the panel, Joseph Eboseremen, also brought in a witness to testify in the case.

Lukeman Sowemimo, the station officer of the Ojodu police station, said he drafted men to the Ojodu area on October 21 because “hoodlums were attacking the area, including the police station.”

Mr Sowemimo said police officers were drafted to Ojodu to calm the area where “hoodlums were disturbing.”

The Station Officer denied knowing the female officer, Chinyere, who allegedly shot the victim.

When shown the bullet brought before the panel by the pathologist, Mr Lukeman said the “bullet is from pistol.”

“The difference between pistol and a rifle is that pistol can only kill at a close range while rifle can kill from any distance. “I am not a ballistician, but with the experience as a mobile man, if I see a pistol ammunition, I can differentiate it from an AK 47 ammunition,” he said.
Mr Lema, the lawyer to the petitioner, asked the officer whether police officers carry pistols, and he answered in the affirmative. The officer also said he was at the station with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) on the day of the incident and did not lead the team to Akiode, Ojodu Berger, as alleged.