Murder in BRT: Bamise’s Death Caused by Bleeding Inside Brain, Pathologist Tells Court 

Wale Igbintade

A pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Professor Sunday Shoyemi, yesterday told a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, that the death of a 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, was as a result of bleedings from her brain.

Shoyemi while giving evidence in the ongoing trial of a Bus Rapid Transit driver, Andrew Nice Ominnikoron,  charged with rape and murder of Ayanwole, told Justice Sherifat Sonaike that after his external and internal findings, the victim’s death was as a result of craniocerebral injury (Brain dysfunction caused by an outside force, usually a violent blow to the head).

Ominnikoron is facing five counts bordering on rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and murder preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.

The prosecution told the court that Ominnikoron conspired with others now at large to rape and murdered his 22-year-old passenger.

The prosecution said that the defendant had sexual intercourse with Ayanwole, without her consent, and murdered her, at about 7p.m., between Lekki-Ajah Expressway and Carter Bridge, on February 26, 2022.

The defendant and others now at large on February 26, 2022, unlawfully killed one Ayanwole by throwing her out of a moving bus between Lekki-Ajah Expressway and Cater Bridge.

According to the prosecution, the offences committed contravened Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

However, the 48-year-old defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.

At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday Prof. Shoyemi who was led in evidence by Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins, told the court that prior to the autopsy the body of the deceased had been embalmed.

He said that the body had no clothing but a silver-coloured ring was found on the middle right finger of the deceased.

Shoyemi testified that he observed a bruise on the left side of the forehead of the deceased, and another bruise on the right temple just above the ear on the right temple.

He also told the court that he observed a large bruise on the back of the skull of the deceased.

He said, “In addition, there was a bruise on the elbow region. These findings were the external appearance.

“Upon opening, I saw what we call Subdural hematoma, which means bleeding into the soft tissue covering the skull, or bleeding into the brain. This was noticed in the frontal area as well as on the back of the skull.

“At the back of the skull, there were multiple comminuted fractures, which means bone broken into two or more pieces. There was a fracture at the temporal bone, the bone above the ear.

“I also observed the bleeding into the brain called Subdural, I checked for deep bruising, the bruising you would not be able to see under the skin excerpt the skin is removed.

“Bruises were found on both lower lips and the organs were essentially normal except the right ovary which had cysts which had a fluid collection. It was an incidental finding which has nothing to do with the death.”

Shoyemi, who is a lecturer at the Lagos State University Medicine Department, also stated that tiny samples were taken from all the organs and were taken into the laboratory where he looked at all the samples under the microscope and found nothing remarkable.

 He said, “I took a sample of the breast and uterus to check for evidence of pregnancy and nothing was found.

“In the light of all the findings and the internal findings death was ascribed to severe craniocerebral injury following a force blunt trauma.”

The witness further told the court that during the autopsy he took samples of the deceased for the purpose of identification and toxicology and the samples were taken to the DNA forensic laboratory.

During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, the witness told the court that all the information about the deceased was given to him by the investigating police officer before the autopsy was carried out.

He stated that the information of the deceased did not form the basis of the cause of death.

After the cross-examination, the defendant’s counsel informed the court that the defence has a pending application to recall some of the prosecution witnesses for the purpose of further cross-examination by the defence.

In response to the defence counsel, DPP Martins objected to the application to recall the witnesses.

After listening to the arguments of both counsels, Justice Sonaike reserved ruling on the application to November 2, 2023.