Graphic: Mysterious death at Lagoon Restaurant: Keyamo petitions IG of Police

Below is a petition to the Inspector General of Police from Festus Keyamo chambers about a staff of Lagoon Restaurant in VI who drowned while on duty. Read below...

Suspicious death of Mr. Chris Onaghise: A case of culpable homicide against the management of Lagoon Restaurant, Lagos

We are solicitors to Mr. Orobosa Onaghise (hereinafter referred to as ‘our Client’) on whose instructions we write to you.

Our Client briefed us as follows: That the Late Mr. Chris Onaghise (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Deceased’) is his son and until his demise, a staff of Lagoon Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos. Our client further informed us that on Monday 16^th June, 2014, he received a telephone call from a lady (who did not want to be identified) informing him that something tragic had happened to the deceased at his workplace. Our client consequently rushed to the Lagoon Restaurant but despite his best efforts could only arrive there after two (2) hours. Upon arriving at the Lagoon Restaurant, our client was informed that the deceased fell into the lagoon while on duty at about 10:00am that morning and was still in the lagoon.

Now listen, the pics after the cut are really graphic. It was sent to me so I figure they want people to see what happened to this young man so I will share it...but be warned it's really graphic. Continue..

Our client demanded to know why no immediate rescue efforts were made to rescue the deceased and one Mr. Rami, the Managing Director of the Lagoon Restaurant informed our client that the Restaurant had no life jackets, divers or indeed safety apparatus. Upon our client’s persistence, the Managing Director invited a lady vide a telephone conversation who identified herself as a Police Officer from Bar Beach Police Station in charge of the investigations .

On enquiry as to the extent of investigations, our client was bluntly informed by the Police Offices that investigations had been concluded and that she believed that the deceased slipped, fell into the lagoon and consequently lost his life. Our client was curious as to how the investigations could have been concluded when the body of the deceased was still in the Lagoon and none of the eye-witnesses or the management of the Lagoon Restaurant had been questioned. Our client’s concerns were ignored by the Police Officer and the deceased was abandoned in the Lagoon despite the agitations of our client till 10:00pm.

Our client further informed us that the next day (17^th June, 2014), he visited the Bar beach Police Station where he met with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and enquired about the recovery of the body of the deceased and further investigation, to our client’s utter bewilderment, the DPO denied knowledge of the existence of the case and the allegedly concluded investigations. The DPO subsequently ordered an investigation and an invitation of all the eye witnesses including the Managing Director of the Lagoon Restaurant.

The DPO subsequently directed a recovery of the body of the deceased. At about 10:00pm on Tuesday, 17^th June, 2014, the body of the deceased was allegedly recovered from the same spot in which he was said to have slipped. A cursory look at the body of the deceased disclosed bruises and blood stains all over the face suggestive of a physical confrontation before the alleged drowning. To further confirm the foregoing suspicions, the deceased body did not show any signs of bowel enlargement consistent with drowning. Do find attached images of the body of the deceased to buttress the foregoing.

The question begging to be answered arising from these facts are as follows:

1.   Why is the obvious physical state of the body of the deceased inconsistent with the management’s narration of events leading to the death?

2.   In the unlikely event that the management of Lagoon Restaurant’s account of events is accurate, what are the safety measures put in place by the management of the Lagoon Restaurant to prevent such occurrence, since it carries on business in a high risk environment?

3.   Why was the staff that called to inform our client of the incident sacked immediately?

4.   Why did the management of the Lagoon Restaurant break into the deceased personal locker while the key to the said locker was found on the deceased’s body?

We are consequently constrained to write this petition to your exalted office as our client has become increasingly frustrated with the nonchalant attitude with which the Bar Beach Police Station is handling the investigations and the desperate efforts of Mr. Rami, the Managing Director of the Lagoon Restaurant (a Lebanese national) to conceal and destroy evidence that will aid the authorities to resolve all the queries raised by the foregoing facts.

We therefore urge you to use your good offices to order a full investigation and Coroner’s Inquest for the purpose of resolving the foregoing questions and consequently prefer criminal charges against all those found culpable.

We anticipate your urgent intervention in this matter.