Joy Odama: The Student’s Suspected Killer’s Face Revealed

The face of the prime suspect in the Joy Odama murder case has been unveiled even as police disclosed that arrangements are being concluded to prosecute the suspect.

Joy Odama, a 200 level student of Cross River State University of Science and Technology was allegedly murdered by Usman Adamu on December 20, 2016 at his guesthouse in Karmo, a community in the Federal Capital Territory.

A statement released by police spokesman Jimoh Moshood revealed that the suspect, Alhaji Usman Adamu is being detained in Abuja as the police continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms. Odama’s death in the suspect’s apartment in Abuja.

Addressing journalists at the Force headquarters in Abuja, Jimoh Moshood stressed that justice would be done. Hear him:

“I want to assure you that what the police have done is a very thorough job that can stand the test of trial in court against the accused person.

“As I speak, the accused person is still in police custody and that is very important to everyone to ensure that justice is done.”

The police spokesman also disclosed that two autopsies were done at the National Hospital, Abuja to ascertain Ms. Joy Odama’s cause of death. According to him, the first autopsy, done by Dr. Jibrin Paul, was inconclusive, but the second, carried out by Dr. Wilson Akhinwu, determined that the cause of death was “carbon monoxide poisoning from generator fumes” aggravated by “a pre-existing cardiomyopathy.” The autopsy ruled out the presence of cocaine in the deceased.

Jimoh, however, stressed that the report did not exonerate the suspect, noting that on the basis of the latest autopsy report, the criminal case against the prime suspect would proceed.

The police spokesman revealed that Mr. Adamu would remain in detention, adding that the case file would be sent to Federal Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice and further action.

While urging Joy Odama’s family to remain patient, the police promised that investigators would do a thorough job and ensure that justice was done in the case.

But a lawyer to the Odama family, Ikechukwu Maduile, said the police were privy to the first autopsy and questioned the motive behind conducting another autopsy which contradicted the first one.

Explaining that the police endorsed the first autopsy and informed the family that they planned to carry out a toxicology test in Lagos, Maduile said:

“We informed them that we would like to witness the toxicology test, but they said our presence was not necessary and that the test could only be done in Lagos. But now, they are saying they carried out another autopsy test.

“It’s what we have been saying that the police are merely trying to cover up the case. If they said Joy died of carbon monoxide poisoning, then they do not need to prosecute the suspect? Why would they prosecute him for an accident that he was not responsible for?

“We reject the report of the police categorically. They didn’t invite or inform us about the press briefing in the case or the family. Who are they holding brief for?”