Richard Somiari, the director of Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, has revealed that the results of the autopsy conducted on the late singer, Mohbad, will be available in the next three to four weeks.
Somiari made this announcement on Wednesday during his testimony at a coroner’s inquest into the death of the singer. Mohbad, aged 27, passed away on September 12, 2023, and was laid to rest the following day. His demise sparked controversies, prompting the Lagos state government to initiate a coroner’s inquest.
The inquest, which commenced on October 13, 2023, is being conducted at the Ikorodu magistrates’ court.
During his cross-examination by the defence counsel, Somiari assured the court, headed by Coroner Adedayo Shotobi, that efforts were being made to expedite the autopsy process and authenticate the cause of Mohbad’s death.
“We expected to get the first set of autopsy results in three to four weeks and re-confirm to authenticate the cause of death,” Somiari stated.
He further explained that various possibilities, including the involvement of poison, were being investigated due to the absence of a clear cause of death.
Addressing concerns about the security and integrity of the autopsy samples, Somiari assured the public that stringent measures were in place to safeguard the results.
“We have a place where items are stored for safety and security of results. There is a procedure for monitoring samples moved abroad,” he affirmed.
In addition to Somiari’s testimony, Sadiq ‘Spending’ Ayobami, a witness, recounted seeing Mohbad a day before his demise at a concert in Ikorodu. Meanwhile, activist Abiodun Kolawole urged the deceased’s parents to seek legal redress regarding the paternity of the singer’s child through appropriate legal channels rather than resorting to social media.
The coroner adjourned the proceedings until April 15 and instructed all parties involved in the inquest to be present on that day.
