Inquest: What we found at scene of Dapo Ojora’s death – police

A police officer, Insp Damian Oguinye, on Thursday revealed his alleged findings at the death scene of a socialite and businessman, Mr Adedapo Ojora, at his Ikoyi, Lagos, residence on Dec. 11, 2020.

Oguinye testified before an Ikeja Coroner’s Court.

Our correspondent reports that Adedapo was the son of businessman, Chief Adekunle Ojora, and brother-in-law of former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

His sister is Mrs Oluwatoyin Saraki.

Adedapo allegedly passed away in controversial circumstances in his home, from a gunshot injury on the head.

Oguinye testified that Ikoyi Police Station received a distress call from one Mr Adeyinka Ojora in the evening of Dec. 11, 2020, to the effect that a 59-year-old man was found lifeless in a pool of blood.

He said that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Ikoyi Police Station, CSP Mustapha Tijani, went to the scene with a team of police officers.

“A Beretta Pistol was found laying on the upper chest of the deceased, and when a search was made, an empty shell was discovered in an indoor waste basket,” he testified.

The witness added that the pistol had 13 rounds of live ammunition still loaded in it.

“While the team saw only one shell in the waste basket, it later came and saw two other empty shells in the premises.

“The deceased was lying down facing upwards.”

“The bullet had hit the wall,” he said.

Earlier, Oguinye said that the crime scene was preserved by the police and that Ojora family doctor, who was at the scene before the police, had already pronounced the deceased dead.

He said that the DPO checked around the house to see if there was any break-in, but discovered that there was no apparent break-in.

Oguinye said that Tijani had also cordoned off the scene to await the arrival of the deputy commissioner of police in charge of State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, and the Lagos State commissioner of police.

He said the shirt the deceased was wearing was torn by the DPO to check his torso for bruises but nothing was found.

“A team of forensic experts from SCID Panti, came. CSP Razak Useni led the team.”

“The domestic staff, Nkiru Joseph, was called upon by CSP Razak, she was the one who told us where the other guns were kept and we found where they were kept.”

“Joseph told us that she had just served the deceased food that evening around 6 p.m.,” he said.

The police officer said that evening, an ambulance came to the premises to take the corpse to a mortuary, and statements of witnesses were taken at the premises.

During Oguinye’s testimony, copies of photographs of the crime scene were tendered as evidence.

The Coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, adjourned proceedings until Feb. 18 for continuation of hearing.