Funsho Williams’ death caused by strangulation – Pathologist

A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of six suspected killers of a Lagos governorship aspirant, Funsho Williams, said he (Williams) died from lack of air intake, due to manual strangulation.
The prosecution witness, Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa, told Justice Adeniyi Adebajo of a Lagos High Court, sitting at Igbosere, Lagos, on Wednesday, that Williams was strangled to death.
Obafunwa, also the Chief Forensic Pathologist of Lagos State, said this was the post-mortem findings while he was being cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel, O.A. Akin-Adesomojo.
He said that he visited the scene of the crime on July 27, 2006 at Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi at 5:30pm, following a call, which informed him about the death.
Obafunwa told the court that he waited for policemen to arrive before he later saw the corpse at 10pm.
He said: “I saw the body of a middle aged man, identified by the family, having his hands tied and lying face down in a pool of blood on a dagger, wrapped with a newspaper.
“I covered the hands and taped it with a paper to prevent a foreign DNA, which may occur during the movement of the body so as not to affect forensic investigations.
“I noticed that the room was scattered along with two other rooms, which I checked before the body was moved to Creek Military Hospital and I left the hospital at midnight.
“During the post-mortem examination, myself and two other pathologists at Creek Hospital discovered a cut on the deceased’s forehead and bruises around his neck.”
Obafunwa, while describing his findings, said that there were deep bruises on the arms and legs of the deceased, which suggested that he tried to restrain somebody from inflicting those bruises on him before his death.
According to him, an X-ray was also carried out on the deceased, which revealed a fracture of the thyroid cartilage (neck bone).
“Based on our findings, the deceased’s death resulted from asphyxia or lack of air intake, due to manual strangulation, while the wounds found on the deceased can be described as defence wounds.
“Blood and urine samples, eye fluids, stomach contents, nail scrapings and clippings were also taken by the police for further forensic analysis, after which I made a report.”
The counsel to the defendants, Agbara Okezie, however, told the court that he had no cross-examination for the witness.
Justice Adeniyi Adebajo further adjourned the trial to May 7 for continuation of trial.
The defendants were first arraigned on March 1, 2013 before Justice Adebajo on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.
The defendants are: Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie, all male.
The defendants, according to the charge, on or about July 27, 2006, at 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos conspired to murder one Engineer Funso Williams.
The offence contravened Sections 316 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2003.