by Isi Esene

A police source privy to investigations into the alleged rape and murder of Cynthia Osokogu, the post-graduate student who was killed in a Festac hotel, have confirmed that the autopsy being carried out on her body has been concluded yesterday.

According to the source, her body was not released to the family for burial on Friday because forensic investigations were still ongoing and experts needed to avoid a situation where her body would have to be exhumed in the process of prosecuting the case in court.

The police source said the reason “was because there may have been further need to carry out some last-minute checks to re-confirm some findings”.

“If the body had been hastily released for burial as scheduled by the family and the need for other checks arose, it would have created complications for the case. Do you now go and exhume the body?

“If you do that, you would be working on a body that would have been contaminated such that whatever findings you then make would never be tenable.”

The source explained the importance of carrying out a conclusive forensic investigation into the cause and circumstances of Cynthia’s death saying, “Expert opinion in such a volatile case is needed and vital because the pathologist would be called in as a witness to come and testify regarding his findings. The pathologist is a very renowned pathologist in forensic science and is head pathologist of LASUTH”.

“As at now, the whole process has been completed! The whole process finished today (Saturday).

“As soon as the result and findings are ready, the parents of Cynthia would be called upon to come and pick the body of their daughter. That is the situation,” the source assured.

Mourners had on Friday gathered at Boji-Boji Owa, Ika North LGA of Delta State for the burial ceremony of the late Cynthia Osokogu only to be informed that her body is yet to be released by police authorities who cited a need to conduct further forensic tests on the body before handing her body over to the family for burial.

Late Cynthia Osokogu, the daughter of Maj.-Gen. Frank Osokogu (Rtd.) was allegedly murdered by two men who have been charged for murder and awaiting trial.