Hospital owner, mortuary attendant arraigned in Ondo over missing corpse

A private clinic owner in Owo, headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oladejo Edubi and an attendant in the clinic, Samuel Oluwatodimu have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court, in Owo over their alleged involvement in the case of a missing corpse deposited in the morgue of the clinic.

The two suspects were said to have been allegedly responsible for the missing of the corpse of one Mrs Rebecca Ogunoye deposited in the morgue of the clinic.

The court asked the two suspects to explain what they knew about the corpse missing at Adeyemi Clinic in Isuada, a suburb of Owo.

The duo were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit misdemeanor, indecent interference with corpse and illegal disposal of corpse.

Police prosecutor, Owolabi Edu told the court that the offence committed by the two suspects was contrary to and punishable under Sections 517, 242 and 249 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 laws of Ondo State,2006.

The defendants however pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them.

Counsel to the defendants, Mr Osaze Uwadie pleaded with the court to grant his clients in the most liberal term.

In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olubunmi Dosunmu granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000.00 each and one surety in like sum .

The court also banned the clinic from taking new corpse for embalmment in it’s morgue pending the determination of the substantive case before it.

Also, the court ordered that the comprehensive list of already deposited corpses should be forwarded to the registrar of the court.

It therefore adjourned the case till June 10, 2020 for further hearing.