Controversy trails death of a Gynecologist in Benin

Controversy is trailing the death of a 49-year-old Chief Consultant Gynecologist and Managing Director of Hope Medical Centre, Benin City, Doctor John Abode, last Tuesday, as family members disagreed with the claim by the wife that he committed suicide.

The news that the deceased who also was a staff of Edo State-owned Stella Obasanjo Hospital Benin City, shocked both his colleagues and family members since the deceased who is doing well in his profession recently opened his private clinic.

The widow was said to have informed the police that the deceased committed suicide in his wardrobe at about 12noon last Tuesday. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Stephen Onwochei, who reacted to the incident, pointed out that before his men got to the scene, the wife had moved the lifeless body out of the wardrobe, adding that this made it difficult for the police to ascertain his exact position at the point of death. However, the family and four pathologists swung into action last Saturday to conduct autopsy to ascertain the actual cause of death. 

According to preliminary report indicated that the deceased died as a result of cessation, which meant he might have used a belt to commit suicide or strangled by unknown persons.