…School reps, vendor absent despite court summons
A Lagos State-certified pathologist, Dr Sanni Ayodele Daniel, has told the Ikeja Magistrate Court that 12-year-old Whitney Adeniran, a student of Chrisland Schools, died from electrocution, not from any underlying medical condition.
Dr Daniel presented this conclusion during the resumed coroner’s inquest on Friday (Suit No. MCIK/CONA/1/2023), where he submitted his official autopsy report. According to him, the cause of death was asphyxia resulting from electrocution, and there were no signs of natural illness or drug complications.
“The pattern of injuries and physiological responses confirm she was electrocuted. There was no evidence of any pre-existing medical condition or medication-related cause,” Dr Daniel testified.
The autopsy revealed cerebral oedema, subpleural petechial haemorrhages, an electric burn on her right knee, shock-induced changes in her kidneys, bilateral conjunctival petechiae, and a grazed abrasion on her right forearm. These findings, according to the pathologist, were consistent with death by electrocution.
Legal representatives for the Adeniran family, Oluwatodimu Ige, Obiechina Justin, and Oluwabusayomi Gbadegesin, were in court for the hearing. The Lagos State Ministry of Justice was represented by Araba, while Mr Abimbola Ojenike and Oluwadamilola Omotosho appeared for the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Absent from the proceedings were representatives of Chrisland Schools and Mr Ademoye Adewale, the vendor reportedly connected to the incident. Both parties had been served court summonses but failed to attend the session. Their absence drew strong criticism from legal practitioners and members of the public present, raising questions about accountability and compliance with legal obligations.
The presiding magistrate adjourned the hearing until 8 August 2025 for further cross-examination of the pathologist by the defence.
