LAGOS COURT REJECTS EURACARE BID TO STOP INQUEST INTO ADICHIE'S SON'S DEATH

 

The Lagos State High Court on Monday dismissed an application by Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital seeking to halt the coroner's inquest into the death of Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Justice Aishat Opesanwo, who delivered the ruling on October 12, 2026, rejected the hospital operator's objections to the coroner's jurisdiction and the procedure for receiving evidence during the inquiry.

Eurapharma Care Services Nigeria Limited, operator of Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, had argued that the cremation of the deceased child's remains made a post-mortem examination impossible, potentially hindering efforts to establish the cause of death. It also challenged the proposed sequence of witness testimony, arguing that the procedure could undermine its right to a fair hearing.

However, Justice Opesanwo held that the absence of the deceased's body did not automatically deprive the coroner of the authority to conduct an inquest. She explained that the Lagos State Coroners System Law did not make the continued presence of the body within the coroner's district a prerequisite for the proceedings.

The judge also rejected the argument that the cremation would necessarily render the inquiry speculative, describing concerns about the eventual outcome as premature because the inquest had yet to formally commence.

Justice Opesanwo emphasised that a coroner's inquest is a fact-finding process designed to establish who died, when and where the death occurred, and the circumstances in which it happened. It is not a criminal trial, and the proceedings do not, in themselves, establish criminal liability.

On the dispute over the sequence of evidence, the court held that the coroner had the discretion to determine how statements and testimony would be received. The judge said disagreement with the exercise of that discretion did not, by itself, establish a breach of fair hearing.

The hospital's counsel, Professor Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, had challenged the proceedings, while counsel to the deceased's parents, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, and representatives of the Lagos State Government urged the court to reject the application.

Nkanu died on January 7, 2026, following medical treatment at Euracare in Lagos. His parents subsequently raised concerns about the care he received, while the hospital denied allegations of medical negligence, describing them as inaccurate and unfounded.

The ruling does not determine whether negligence occurred or establish responsibility for the child's death. Rather, it removes the legal obstacle raised by the hospital's application, allowing the coroner's inquiry to proceed in accordance with the law.