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Requests Release Of Body for Burial
The Ebonyi State Police Command has maintained that a post-mortem examination must be conducted on Mary Habila, the physiotherapist attached to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who died at his residence.
This comes after the deceased’s family formally requested the withdrawal of further investigation and declined an autopsy.
According to an affidavit titled “Affidavit of Withdrawal of Case” filed before the High Court of Justice of Ebonyi State, her father, Tanko Habila Wisdom, the family wisheds to proceed with her burial as no foul play was sensed.
“While I welcome steps being taken to unravel the cause of my daughter’s death, my family and I will not accept any autopsy on my daughter’s body,” the affidavit stated.
The family also appealed to medical and investigative authorities to leave the deceased’s body and organs intact.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Joshua Ukandu, said the command considers the autopsy crucial to its investigation, given the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a statement, Ukandu disclosed that the command received a distress call on June 27 from the Divisional Police Officer of Ohaozara Division, informing it of a medical emergency involving Habila at the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Hope Okafor subsequently directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation.
Preliminary findings, according to the police, showed that Habila and a colleague were members of the medical team attached to the Minister of Works and had accompanied him to his hometown in Uburu, where she was later found dead in a room within the minister’s residential compound.
He added that the command had concluded plans to engage a pathologist to conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death and support the investigation.
While acknowledging the family’s refusal to consent to the autopsy, the police stressed that the examination remained necessary because of the sensitive nature of the case.
The command said it is awaiting the presence of the deceased’s family or their authorised representative, noting that their attendance is required before the autopsy can be carried out.
Ukandu assured the public that the investigation would be conducted thoroughly, transparently and impartially.