By Our Correspondent
The Coroner’s Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has found that the death of 24-year-old Patrick Peresuodei was violent and unnatural, and called for further investigation and possible prosecution of persons implicated in the circumstances surrounding his death.
The court delivered its verdict on Friday, August 21, 2026, following an inquest into the death of Peresuodei, who died on January 29, 2026.
According to the court, Patrick died from haemorrhagic shock caused by multiple extensive and fatal blunt-force traumatic injuries. It rejected any suggestion that his death resulted from a natural disease.
The court found that Patrick was taken into police custody on January 15, 2026, with injuries already present on his body, which it considered evidence of an initial assault.
It held that, on the balance of probabilities, Patrick was assaulted before or during his transfer to police custody and was already seriously injured when he arrived at the police station. Kemepadei’s Role On the alleged involvement of Mr. Bodmas Kemepadei and his associates, the court found substantial evidence linking Kemepadei and persons acting with him to Patrick’s initial assault and the injuries he sustained.
However, the court said an alleged video recording in which Patrick repeatedly mentioned Kemepadei’s name could not, by itself, establish beyond reasonable doubt that Kemepadei personally inflicted the fatal injuries.
Nevertheless, the court found that Kemepadei played a significant role in initiating and participating in Patrick’s arrest and transfer to police custody.
It therefore held that the evidence warranted further criminal investigation into Kemepadei’s role and that of persons allegedly acting under his authority.
NSCDC Officers Implicated
The court also examined the involvement of personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who were present during the arrest of Patrick and his brother, Destiny Peresuodei, before their transfer to the police.
The court noted that the NSCDC officers failed to satisfactorily explain the circumstances in which Patrick sustained his initial injuries.
It consequently found evidence indicating their participation in the assault before Patrick was handed over to the police, although the individual roles of the officers could not be conclusively established.
The court therefore called for further investigation into the conduct of the NSCDC personnel involved in the arrest and transfer of the brothers.
Police Custody Assault The Coroner’s Court further found that Patrick sustained materially aggravating injuries while in police custody, describing those injuries as a major part of the chain of events that eventually resulted in his death.
The court specifically noted evidence implicating the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Barnabas Eyoroere, in the alleged custodial assault of Patrick.
It held that the evidence disclosed a prima facie case warranting criminal investigation and prosecutorial consideration of Inspector Eyoroere’s alleged role in the injuries sustained by Patrick while in custody.
Delay in Medical Treatment The court also faulted the handling of Patrick’s medical condition while in detention, finding an inadequate and unjustifiable delay in efforts to secure appropriate medical treatment for him during the early period of his detention.
It called for a review of procedures governing the treatment of injured detainees and urged authorities to ensure that persons brought into custody with injuries receive prompt and appropriate medical attention.
The court recommended that injured suspects should undergo prompt and independent medical assessment, regardless of their reluctance to receive treatment.
It further recommended that, where appropriate, injured suspects should be granted bail promptly to enable them obtain necessary medical care.
No Criminal Conviction Yet The Coroner’s Court stressed that its verdict did not amount to a criminal conviction of any of the persons mentioned during the proceedings.
It explained that questions relating to criminal liability, including the specific offences disclosed by the evidence and whether any individual was guilty, remained matters for the appropriate prosecuting authorities and competent criminal courts.
The court consequently directed that, upon completion of relevant investigations, the case file should be submitted to the appropriate prosecuting authority for an independent legal assessment to determine whether criminal charges should be instituted.
It also recommended further forensic investigation, preservation of electronic evidence, police custody records and relevant medical records to support any subsequent criminal proceedings.
Call for Custodial Reforms The court called for an independent investigation into custodial practices in Bayelsa State, particularly the conditions under which detainees are held, the use of restraints and allegations of assault against persons in custody.
It urged the Nigeria Police Force to review its procedures for handling injured detainees and ensure that appropriate medical attention is provided without unnecessary delay.
The Coroner also recommended that administrative or disciplinary proceedings be considered against any officer whose conduct is found to have breached applicable police or custodial procedures.
The court finally ordered that the complete record of the inquest, including exhibits and medical evidence, be transmitted to the appropriate investigating and prosecutorial authorities for further action in accordance with the law.