Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare through its Legal Unit has dragged a mortician, one Mr Uchenna Ugochukwu to court over missing corpse of a 26 year old woman, late Okeke Chinonso
The accused is the owner of New Centuary Medical Complex Mortuary Isuaniocha in Akwa North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Narrating their ordeal to the Commissioner, Hon Ify Obinabo, the Complainants, Mrs Rejoice Odogwu and Mr Sopuruchukwu Okeke, sister and husband to the deceased respectively, said the body of the deceased was deposited at New Centuary Medical Complex Mortuary on August 4, 2023.
They however said an entirely different corpse was handed over to them when they were ready to bury their dead.
Okeke said, “When we accosted the mortician, he insisted that the corpse he gave to us was who we brought but we are quite sure it is not true.
“Apart from the fact that the corpse handed over to us was that of an older woman, whereas ours was a 26 year old female, the body we deposited was on low cut before and after death.
“The body given to us had her hair weaved and has been operated upon whereas ours has never undergone any form of surgery among other things that were off with the body handed over to us.
“While still refusing to take the corpse which the mortician was forcing down their throat, the mortuary owner, Mr Uchenna Ugochukwu started threatening us for refusing to take the embalmed body.”
When asked why they never visited the mortuary, Mrs Rejoice said that on her part she was scared of going to the place as she would not be able to control her emotions.
She however said her in-law’s elder sister was denied access to the morgue because the mortician told her that they scarcely grant pregnant women access to the facility.
Odogwu further revealed that late Chinonso died during childbirth which she said contributed to bringing her body nearer home to enable them prepare for the burial only to be defrauded of her corpse in October when they came to carry her remains.
“All the while my sister Inlaw was coming to see the body even without access, the mortician kept asking of the burial date which they didn’t take as anything only to get defrauded of our late sister’s remain.
“Mr Joseph afterwards approached us with the sum of N850,000 for settlement after the matter has been reported to the community,” she alleged.
Responding, the Women Affairs commissioner assured the complaints of justice, just as she handed the case over to her legal unit.
The case was filed and called up at Magistrate Court Achalla for hearing.
