A preliminary report of the autopsy conducted at the National Hospital Abuja by a pathologist, Dr P.G. Jibrin, exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters at the weekend, said Esther Asuquo suffered "Severe Asphyxia" due to strangulation and physical assault as a direct cause of her death.
The report of an autopsy conducted on the remains of 21-year-old Esther Isaac Asuquo, who was murdered in Agete Hotel in Gwarinpa, Abuja on February 25, 2022, has shown that she was strangulated.
A preliminary report of the autopsy conducted at the National Hospital Abuja by a pathologist, Dr P.G. Jibrin, exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters at the weekend, said Esther Asuquo suffered "Severe Asphyxia" due to strangulation and physical assault as a direct cause of her death.
Esther was murdered in controversial circumstances in Room 901 at the hotel located in the Gwarinpa area of the Federal Capital Territory.
The family of the deceased had accused the FCT Police of compromising the case by shielding the hotel and its management in an attempt to frustrate the case.
A human rights lawyer who is representing the family, Abubakar Marshal in a letter dated April 29, 2022, addressed to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7 Headquarters demanded a Coroner's inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Esther.
This followed an attempt by the hotel management to cover up and not disclose the identity of the suspect who perpetrated the dastardly act.
The hotel also turned down the request by the family and lawyer demanding the CCTV footage of February 25, 2022, to ascertain what led to the death of the deceased woman.
The hotel was also alleged to have made an attempt to offer the sum of N500,000 (Five hundred thousand naira) to the family of the deceased to offset the burial expenses with the aim to frustrate the case and sweep it under the carpet.
SaharaReporters gathered that five months after the tragic incident, the FCT Police authorities had been reluctant in carrying out a comprehensive investigation into the case while the hotel continued to open for business.
Meanwhile, Esther was buried on Saturday, July 9, 2022, in her hometown, Calabar in Cross River State, where family members and friends wept profusely during her funeral service.
Esther's death sparked angry reactions on social media.
Her family has demanded justice, saying the matter must not be swept under the carpet.
Photo captions:
The preliminary autopsy report
The funeral service for the victim in Calabar
The deceased woman after the incident
