The Lagos state government has ordered a coroner inquest into the cause of death of Bimbo Ogboona, wife of auto dealer Ikechukwu Ogbonna.
Bimbo died of burns sustained from a fire incident at their home in Lekki, Lagos on October 15. It was widely reported that the late Bimbo and her husband IVD were involved in a brawl at their home, which eventually led to her death.
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, gave the directive for a coroner inquest in a statement released. He said that a thorough investigation would be carried out to ascertain the cause of Bimbo’s death.
The commissioner noted that as a government, the security and well-being of citizens were of utmost importance while assuring the public that everything will be done to ensure that the cause of death is known. He also said findings of the investigation would be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable, the Lagos State Government said.
“A coroner’s inquest has immediately been requested, in line with Section 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of death.
By Section 14(1)(d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the State: “A report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the report of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was: violent, unnatural or suspicious.
Section 15(1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death” he said
The attorney-general also charged the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, to assist the Police and other law enforcement agencies in investigating the case and ascertaining the cause of death of the late Bimbo which had attracted wide media attention.
