Court upholds inquest into Chimamanda Adichie's son's death

The Lagos State High Court, located in Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi, dismissed an application from Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited, which operates Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, aimed at stopping the coroner’s inquest into the death of Nkanu Esege, the son of author Chimamanda Adichie and her husband Dr Ivara Esege. Justice Aishat Opesanwo ruled that the coroner was legally obligated to conduct the inquest, stating that the cremation of the deceased's body did not invalidate the inquiry.

The hospital had argued that the absence of the body from the coroner's district deprived the coroner of jurisdiction and challenged the sequence of evidence gathering. Justice Opesanwo clarified that the inquest was inquisitorial, not adversarial, and aimed to establish the circumstances surrounding the death rather than determine liability.

The judge referenced Section 15 of the Coroners System Law of Lagos State, 2007, which mandates inquests under certain conditions.