The City Reporters
Funsho Williams
The Chief Forensic Pathologist of Lagos State, Professor Oladapo Obafunwa has told a Lagos High Court in Igbosere that late politician Funsho Williams was strangled to death by his killers.
Obafunwa said this, Wednesday, while testifying at the ongoing trial of the six men accused of killing the former Lagos governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on July 27, 2006.
The defendants who were arraigned before the court on a two counts charge of conspiracy and murder are, Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie.
According to the witness, Williams died from lack of air intake, due to manual strangulation.
Obafunwa also told the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, he visited the scene of the crime on July 27, 2006 at Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi at 5.30pm after he received a call informing him of the death.
He further said he waited for policemen to arrive before he later saw the corpse at 10.00pm.
“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,” he said.
Obafunwa also testified 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).
He further stated, “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,” he said.
Justice Adeniyi Adebajo further adjourned the trial to May 7, for continuation of trial.
The defendants, according to the charge, on or about July 27, 2006, at 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, conspired to murder one Engr. Funso Williams.
The offence contravened Sections 316 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2003.
