From Premium Times Nigeria · Friday Omosola · · 2m
Court rejects Euracare’s bid to halt inquest into Adichie’s son’s death
Lagos court dismisses Euracare’s attempt to stop inquest into Chimamanda Adichie’s son’s death.
In brief
Lagos court dismisses Euracare’s attempt to stop inquest into Chimamanda Adichie’s son’s death. Lagos State High Court rejected Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital’s bid to halt the inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi, son of Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie. Originally reported by Premium Times…
Court rejects Euracare’s bid
Lagos State High Court dismissed Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital’s attempt to halt an ongoing coroner’s inquest into the death of Nkanu Nnamdi, 21 months old.
Adichie’s family objected
Ms Adichie and her husband Ivara Esege objected to the hospital’s suit two weeks earlier, asking the court to dismiss it.
Hospital’s claim
The hospital argued that the coroner had not issued a decision warranting judicial review and that the inquest without the body would produce speculative findings.
Court’s ruling
Justice Aishat Opesanwo ruled the hospital’s application was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the coroner’s court’s role and powers.
Key legal issue
The court identified that Section 15(2) of the Lagos State Coroner’s System Law 2007 requires an inquest into a death in custody at a medical facility.
Cremation does not stop inquest
The court ruled that cremation of the child’s remains did not prevent the coroner from investigating the death.
Jurisdiction based on location
The court stated that jurisdiction depends on where the death occurred, not the availability of the body at the time of the inquest.
Coroner’s purpose
A coroner’s inquest determines who died and the circumstances, time and location of death, without criminal prosecution or civil trial.
No trial in coroner’s court
Unlike other courts, there is no claimant, prosecution, or defence in a coroner’s court, and no one is on trial.
Coroner’s discretion
The coroner enjoys full statutory discretion over the sequence of witness statements and evidence in the inquest.
Inquest proceeds
With the court’s dismissal, the coroner’s inquest into Nkanu’s death is now expected to proceed formally.
Backstory: Medical claims
Following Nkanu’s death, his parents accused the hospital of medical negligence, alleging an overdose of sedatives and withholding oxygen.
Hospital’s defense
The hospital rejected the allegations, insisting the child was in critical condition on arrival and received treatment per standard medical protocols.
Inquest initiated
The Lagos State Government initiated a coroner’s inquest to investigate the circumstances of Nkanu’s death.
What matters most
Lagos State High Court rejected Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital’s bid to halt the inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi, son of Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie.
