Inspector Damian Oguinye has revealed police’s findings at the death scene of a socialite and businessman, Adedapo Ojora, at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos on December 11, 2020.

Mr Oguinye testified before the Ikeja Coroner’s Court.

Mr Ojora was the son of businessman Adekunle Ojora, and brother-in-law of former Senate president Bukola Saraki. His sister was Oluwatoyin Saraki.

Mr Ojora died in controversial circumstances in his home from a gunshot injury on the head.

The police officer testified that Ikoyi Police Station received a distress call from Adeyinka Ojora on the evening of December 11, 2020, that a 59-year-old man was found lifeless in a pool of blood.

He explained that the station’s divisional police officer (DPO), CSP Mustapha Tijani, went to the scene with a team of police officers.

“A Beretta pistol was found lying on the upper chest of the deceased, and when a search was made, an empty shell was discovered in an indoor wastebasket,” he stated.

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

“While the team saw only one shell in the wastebasket, it later came and saw two other empty shells on the premises. The deceased was lying down facing upwards. The bullet had hit the wall,” added the cop.

Earlier, Mr Oguinye disclosed that the police preserved the crime scene, adding that the Ojora family doctor, who was at the scene before the police, had already pronounced the deceased dead.

He further mentioned that the DPO checked around the house for a break-in but discovered none.

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

He explained that the DPO tore the deceased’s shirt to check his torso for bruises.

“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,” added the cop. “Joseph told us that she had just served the deceased food that evening around 6:00 p.m.”

The police officer also mentioned that an ambulance came to the premises to take the corpse to a mortuary that evening.

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

The coroner, Oyetade Komolafe, has not yet made a final ruling on the ongoing inquest brought before him since February 2020 by lawyers to Patricia Mode Ojora, nee Ediale, the ex-wife of the deceased.

He adjourned further hearings on the inquest until February 18, 2022.

(NAN)