The Awin Family has petitioned the Inspector General of Police to order a full Coroner’s Inquest to establish the circumstances of the June 7 drowning of their son, 31-year old Christopher Onoriode Akpomowei Awin, in the swimming pool at Agura Hotels in Abuja. Christopher is a nephew of Nigeria's First Lady, Patience Jonathan

A statement by Festus Keyamo Chambers, on behalf of the family, pointed out that while post mortem has confirmed that if the victim had received help within five minutes of being submerged, he would have survived, enquiries have revealed that the guards on duty at the pool had at the time curiously left their duty post on flimsy excuses.

“Further enquiries also revealed that there was a busy Bar beside the swimming pool,” the petition said. “In spite of the expected attendant staff presence, the body of the victim was not found until over one hour after he had drowned.”

In the letter, dated June 26, the family urged the IGP to seek the Coroner’s Inquest in order to resolve various queries listed, and to charge all those found culpable to court.



Text of the letter:



Thursday, June 26, 2014

The Inspector-General of Police,

Force Headquarters,

Louis Edet House,

Abuja.



Dear Sir,

SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF CITIZEN CHRISTOPHER AWIN:

CASE OF CULPABLE HOMICIDE AGAINST AGURA HOTELS AND MEMBERS OF ITS STAFF



We are solicitors to Madam Esther Ebiere Gbonkumor and the entire Awin Family. They have briefed us as follows:

That on 7th June, 2014, their son, Mr. Christopher Onoriode Akpomowei Awin, a 31-year old Nigerian citizen, was invited to a picnic by the Ijaw Students’ Association of the University of Abuja as part of the celebration of their cultural week. That picnic held atAgura Hotels in Abuja. We were informed that sometime at about 4:00pm, the picnic came to an end and all the members of the Association left for the University of Abuja Campus and their various residences in Gwagwalada, Abuja. However, Mr. Christopher Awin stayed behind for some swimming exercise.

However, in a most bizarre twist of events, Mr. Christopher Awin was found drowned to death in the swimming pool of Agura Hotels at about 6:00pm later that day and officers of the Garki Division of the Nigerian Police were called in. A post mortem has been carried out by a certified consultant pathologist who confirmed that his death was as a result of drowning and further added that if the victim had received help within five minutes of being submerged, he would have survived.

Our enquiries have shown that there were two life guards on duty at the pool who curiously left their duty post on flimsy excuses. Further enquiries also revealed that there was a busy Bar beside the swimming pool. Inspite of the expected attendant staff presence, the body of the victim was not found until over one hour after he had drowned.

The queries that arise from the foregoing set of facts are as follows:

1. Why did the life guards charged with the sensitive responsibility of safe guarding guests abandon their duty post for so long?

2. Why would the Agura Hotels leave a guest in a public swimming pool unattended to for so long?

3. Was there no bartender at the Bar adjoining the swimming pool for so long a time?

4. Why did the Police hasten to reopen the swimming pool (as a crime scene) that was initially sealed for investigations?

5. Why has no member of staff of the Agura Hotels as well as the Agura Hotels been charged for culpable homicide till date?

We are respectfully inviting you to employ your good offices in ordering a full Coroner’s Inquest for the purpose of resolving the foregoing queries and charge all those found culpable to court.

We repose confidence in your good offices and thank you for your anticipated cooperation.



Yours sincerely,



FESTUS KEYAMO, ESQ.
Head of Chambers

SOURCE: http://saharareporters.com/news-page/family-asks-igp-order-inquest-drowning-first-lady-patience-jonathans-nephew-agura-hotel-ab

Good! while they are at it they should do likewise for my buddy that I just lost to the cold hands of death 3 weeks ago. I would like to know why the veterinary doctor didn't show up immediately he was called to come and examine why Aston was lying helpless on the floor.