Coroner Orders Contempt Proceedings Against Ikorodu General Hospital Director Over Records of Late Journalist Pelumi Onifade

The Lagos State District Coroner, Magistrate Temitope Oladele, has ordered contempt proceedings against the Medical Director of Ikorodu General Hospital for allegedly disobeying a court order to produce the medical records of late journalist Pelumi Onifade, who died in police custody during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.

According to reports, the coroner issued the directive after repeated failure by the hospital’s management to comply with earlier orders mandating the release of key medical documents linked to Onifade’s death. The materials are crucial to the ongoing inquest investigating the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s tragic demise.

Pelumi Onifade, a 20-year-old reporter with Gboah TV, was covering protests in Lagos when he was allegedly arrested by officers attached to the Lagos State Task Force. His body was later found at the mortuary of Ikorodu General Hospital, sparking public outrage and renewed calls for justice.

Magistrate Oladele, who presides over the Coroner’s Court in Ogba, expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital’s noncompliance, describing it as an act of gross disregard for judicial authority. The court subsequently directed that contempt proceedings be initiated against the Medical Director to enforce accountability.

Legal experts note that the ruling marks a significant development in the long-delayed inquiry into Onifade’s death, which has been a rallying point for press freedom advocates and human rights groups seeking justice for victims of the #EndSARS movement.