Bamise: Pathologist Blunt Force trauma was the cause of death in BRT rape victims

In the hearings on Friday, Prof. Shoyemi described to the court how the autopsy was carried out while being lead in as evidence by the DPP, Dr. Babajide Martins.

On Friday, the Lagos High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) continued the trial of Andrew Nice Ominikoron, a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver accused of raping and killing Oluwabamise Ayanwola, a 22-year-old fashion designer.

The deceased’s pathologist, Prof. Sunday Soyemi, testified that a serious craniocerebral damage caused by a blunt force trauma was the cause of the late Ayanwola’s death.

As the ninth and last prosecution witness, Shoyemi, a professor at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), revealed this in her testimony before trial judge Justice Sherifat Sonaike.

On Saturday, February 26, 2022, the late Bamise Ayanwola went missing while travelling back to Ota from Ajah on a BRT vehicle.
The Lagos State Government has filed five charges against the defendant, BRT driver Andrew Nice Ominnikoron, including rape, conspiracy, felony, and murder.

According to the Director of Public Prosecution for Lagos State (DPP) Lagos, the event happened between the Lekki-Ajah Conservation Centre and Cater Bridge at around 7 o’clock in the evening.

The DPP also testified in court that Andrew Nice and other suspects who are still at large planned to coerce Bamise, a 22-year-old passenger, into having sex with him against her will before killing her.

He said that after engaging in sexual activity with Bamise without her consent at Cater Bridge, the defendant and other others who remain at large killed her by throwing her out of a moving bus.

The prosecution claims that the acts committed violate and are punishable by Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of 2015.

In the hearings on Friday, Prof. Shoyemi described to the court how the autopsy was carried out while being lead in as evidence by the DPP, Dr. Babajide Martins.

I noticed bruises on the left side of the forehead, right temple, just above her ear, and enormous bruise on the back of her skull, the man claimed. There was also a bruising on the elbow area.

“When we opened her up, we found what we refer to as a subdural hematoma, which is a term for bleeding into the brain or into the soft tissue that covers the skull. On the frontal region and the skull’s back, this was seen. The temporal bone, or the bone over the ear, was fractured once more.

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“I looked for deep bruises, which are those that we cannot see under the skin unless the skin is removed. On both bottom lips, there were these substantial bruises. Except for the right ovary, which contains a cyst (Fluid Collection), the organs were largely normal.

He said that this was an accidental discovery unrelated to death.

He continued by informing the court that “Miniature samples were obtained from every organ and transmitted to the laboratories. When the samples were examined under a microscope, nothing particularly noteworthy was discovered.

“I took breast and uterus samples particularly to look for pregnancy, but nothing was found. The cause of death was determined to be severe craniocerebral damage following a blunt force trauma in light of both the exterior and interior findings.

In addition, Prof. Shoyemi informed the court that he had taken samples from the dead during the examination for identification and that another sample had been taken for toxicology. Both samples had been forwarded to the Lagos State DNA forensic lab.

He made it clear that the full report was given to the DPP and that the interim report had been given to CSP Oseni, the investigating police officer, and Panti, the director of homicide for the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID, who was also present during the autopsy.

The witness testified to the court during cross-examination by Abayomi Omotubora, the defence attorney, that the IPO gave all the information regarding the deceased prior to the autopsy.

He did, however, make it clear that Bamise’s cause of death was not determined by the facts presented by the IPO.

Following the cross-examination, Mr. Omotubora alerted the court about a pending request to recall some of the prosecution’s witnesses, dated September 21, 2023.

“We have a request pending to call back some of the prosecution witnesses for additional defence cross-examination.”

Dr. Babajide Martins disagreed with the defense’s request to recall the witnesses.

Justice Sonaike reserved her decision for November 2, 2023, after hearing both counsels’ arguments.