Attorney-general and commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), has invoked the state’s Coroner’s Law to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of the late registrar of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, Mr. Ezekiel Imole Adeniran.
Ajulo urged the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Ayedun Odusola, to appoint a coroner to carry out the probe in the interest of justice.
In a letter to the Chief Judge, Dr. Ajulo noted that reports suggest Mr. Adeniran died under suspicious circumstances around July 17, 2025.
He emphasised that, in the public interest, a formal coroner’s inquest is necessary to determine the cause and manner of death and to establish whether any person may be criminally liable.
Ajulo stated that the inquest would be conducted by Ondo State’s Coroners Law and requested that a magistrate with the appropriate jurisdiction be appointed as coroner.
He said, “Based on the information available, I believe a formal inquiry through a coroner’s inquest is warranted in the public interest.’
Responding to the request, the Chief Judge appointed Dr. Dickson Ogunfuyi, Chief Magistrate and Head of the Ondo State Multi-Door Court, as the coroner.
This development follows controversy surrounding claims that Mr. Adeniran committed suicide by ingesting poison after a white paper was issued indicting him and recommending his dismissal.
However, his family maintains that he was forced to drink the poison by unknown assailants.
The Attorney General assured that the inquest will be conducted transparently and strictly according to due process.
