Woman, daughter in court for hiding corpse in Lagos

A 62-year-old woman, Joy Shittu, and her 25-year-old daughter, Toyin, were on Tuesday arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court for hiding a corpse.

The accused were charged with conspiracy, indignity to and unlawful possession of human remains.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the duo pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Etim Nkankuk, said the accused committed the offences sometime in April, 2013, on Olaitan Mustapha Close, in the Ijaiye, Ojokoro area of Lagos.

Nkankuk told the court that the accused hid the corpse of one Olatunji Shittu in their residence.

Nkankuk said, “The suspects could not give a satisfactory answer when asked why the corpse was in their possession instead of being in a morgue.

“It should be brought to the notice of this court that investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the cause of the death of the deceased.”

He added that the offences contravened sections 163(b) and 410 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The Chief Magistrate, Olatunbosun Abolarinwa, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N100, 000 each.

He adjourned the case till June 24, 2015.