Homicide detectives attached to the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department
in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have commenced a discreet investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of a job-seeker identified as Miss Joy Odama.
Odama was said to have allegedly died in the house of a man, who promised her a job with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
According to our findings, a case of culpable homicide was initially reported to the office of the Inspector General of Police through a petition, dated January 5, 2017, by one Lady
Rose Mbata & Company, on behalf of Mrs. Philomena Odama of Old Karmo Village, Abuja, against one Alhaji Usman Adamu.
The case was consequently referred to the IGP Monitoring Unit for discreet investigation.
The complainant in the matter, who was the mother of the deceased lady, had alleged, among other things, that her daughter, Miss Joy Odama, a 200 level student of the Department of Mass Communication, Cross River State University of Technology, died
mysteriously in the flat of one Alhaji Usman Adamu located at Ibro Quarters, Karmo, Abuja, on December 21, 2016.
She stated that her daughter had visited her on holidays from Cross River State and that on December 18, 2016, one Miss Elizabeth Okpata James, approached the young lady and pleaded with her to go with her to the house of one Alhaji Usman Adamu along with another girl named Martha Hassan, who Elizabeth also invited to join them. That she, Philomena Odama (the mother) later met Alhaji Usman Adamu, who promised to get her a job with the NSCDC.
She also said that on 20/12/2016, the said Alhaji Usman Adamu sent for Joy Odama to come over and help in taking care of his house-help who was ill while he sought the services of a medical doctor.
“I later called the next day to ascertain what was happening to my daughter, but the suspect Alhaji Usman I. Adamu, pretended not to know Joy Odama (the deceased).
Subsequently, on 21/12/2016, I was invited to Karmo Police Division, where I was informed that the two girls (Joy Odama now deceased and Victoria Ezekiel that survived) who were in Alhaji Usman Adamu house the previous day became unconscious and were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi- Airport Road, where her daughter Joy Odama,
was confirmed dead and the other girl regained consciousness,” she said.
Information at our disposal has it that at the Federal Medical Center, Jabi, Victoria Ezekiel was said to have been placed on Oxygen and treated for conditions, which included carbon monoxide poisoning, dehydration, vomiting and headache. She was later discharged in the evening.
Sources said that police preliminary investigation into this case started from Karmo Police Division in the FCT Police Command .and t h a t police detectives visited the crime scene was visited and also the Federal Medical Centre Jabi, where the deceased was confirmed
dead.
A thorough search of the house of Alhaji Usman Adamu, who is now in police detention, was carried out and exhibits recovered by the FCT CIID were taken over by the IGP Monitoring Unit for further investigation into the matter.
It was further learnt that the principal suspect, Alhaji Usman I. Adamu, is the owner of Flat 3, Ibro Quarters, Karimo Abuja, where Joy Odama was found dead in the morning
of 21/12/2016 Force spokesman, Chief Superintendent Jimoh Moshood, told our correspondent that, for the police to ascertain the cause of death of the deceased person, two autopsy examinations were carried out.
Moshood said, “The first Autopsy examination conducted by a Pathologist with the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Jibrin Paul, was released to the police on the 10th May, 2017, though not conclusive.
“The second Autopsy examination conducted on the corpse of Joy Odama on 9th June, 2017, by another Pathologist Dr. Wilson Akhinwu, was carried out in the presence of
the first pathologist, Dr. Jibrin Paul, and witnessed by a private person, one Augustine Okechukwu of Basic Rights Enlightenment Foundation, at the same venue where the first autopsy was done at the National Hospital, Abuja, and was conclusive.
“The first and the second autopsy reports were accepted as evidence and will be tendered in court along with the case file in the prosecution of the principal suspect, Alh. Usman
Ibrahim Adamu. Though the conclusion and opinion of the pathologist, Dr. Wilson Akhinwu, who conducted the second autopsy is that Miss Joy Odama died as a result of complications arising from carbon monoxide poisoning from generator fumes, which was contributed to by a preexiting cardiomyopathy and no cocaine was found in her system.”
The police spokesman added that the case file would be sent to the Federal Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice and further action by the police investigation teams.
Consequently, the police implored the family of the deceased to be patient for justice to prevail, adding that the force would not allow any compromise that could pervert the end of justice in the whole process.
Moshood also confirmed to our correspondent that the suspect was still in police custody and pleaded with the family of the deceased lady to be exercise patience for justice to
prevail.
