Confusion As Corpse Disappears From Mortuary On Burial Day

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested four persons over the missing corpse of a farmer, identified as Joel Omirenya, at the Sacred Heart Hospital’s mortuary in the Lantoro area of Abeokuta.

Naija News learnt that the family of the deceased was thrown into confusion following the disappearance of his corpse while the burial preparation was in progress.

According to PUNCH, Omirenya fell sick and was rushed to the hospital for prompt treatment, but died while on admission and his corpse was thereafter preserved at the hospital’s mortuary.

Speaking on the incident, Omirenya’s son said the family members had concluded plans to convey his father’s corpse to their hometown in Benue State when efforts to locate his corpse in the mortuary proved abortive.

He also stated that the mortuary attendant, John Olaade, has been handed over to the policemen at the Adatan Police Station and his family members have been informed about the missing corpse.

He said, “On February 13, 2023, when my father fell sick, we rushed him to the Sacred Heart Hospital, Lantoro, Abeokuta, and he was placed on admission. After one week of admission, he died and we decided to deposit him at the hospital’s morgue. (nuwattenergy.com) We paid N25,000 for the dressing and embalmment of his corpse.

“We were told the N25,000 will last for five days and afterwards, we would be charged ₦1,000 per day for the corpse in the morgue and we agreed, paid and I was given a paper to always present whenever I come to check the corpse.

“A week later, I returned to the mortuary to check the corpse and it was there. I also visited on March 15 and it was still there. But on Friday, March 21, 2023, I called the mortuary attendant, John Olaade, that we are ready to take the body to our hometown in Benue State and that we will be bringing clothes and other things they need to dress the corpse on Sunday, so we can pick it early in the morning on Monday.

“When we got to the mortuary on Sunday, he asked us to pay the outstanding hospital bill and also asked us to pay the money for making himself available into his bank account. I paid N51, 000 and after paying, I demanded to see the corpse before he started dressing it and when he took us into the mortuary, we could not find my father’s corpse in the space where it was kept.

“I asked what happened and he started searching the mortuary for my father’s corpse. I also assisted in the search that commenced around 4pm till 7pm but we could not locate his corpse and my father’s wake was already taking place at his residence in Papa, Ewekoro, Ogun State, and we have also spent N140, 000 to hire an ambulance to convey the corpse to our hometown.

“That same Sunday, the hospital management came and started checking their records and contacted family members that brought and picked up their corpses from the period I saw his corpse last in the mortuary but we are yet to locate his corpse. They have been pleading that they will find the corpse.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said an investigation into the case was ongoing, adding that four suspects had been arrested.