The coroner inquest to ascertain the cause of death of a 12-year-old Chrisland School pupil, Whitney Adeniran, has fixed April 4 for the hearing to commence.

Magistrate Olabisi Fajana fixed the date after entertaining submissions of all counsels who appeared before the court sitting in the Ikeja Magistrates ‘Court.

The counsel to the deceased family, Femi Falana, had informed the court that they could not file a witness statement as instructed by the court at the last adjourned date.

Mr Falana told the court that the magistrate registry refused to process the enrolling of the witness statement on the grounds that there is no provision for filling of coroner processes.

The counsel for Chrisland School, Olukayode Enitan, and the state counsel, Akin George, also corroborated the position of Mr Falana, seeking the court’s directives on how to get their processes filed.

Ms Fajana informed the counsels that she would get directives from the chief magistrate to ensure the processes were filed before the coroner.

Mr Enitan informed the court that he had an application before it, seeking samples and materials to conduct an independent evaluation of the autopsy report.

In a counter-reaction, Mr Falana, who said they had not been served, told the court that the autopsy of the deceased was done in the presence of the school representatives and other concerned parties.

However, the state counsel told the court that the state received a letter, not an application, and the state would respond at the appropriate time.

Ms Fajana adjourned the commencement of trial until April 4 and advised all counsels to ensure their processes were filed and confirmed on April 3.

(NAN)