The Coroner’s Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Friday, April 24, 2026, heard detailed medical findings in the death of Patrick Peresuodei after a consultant pathologist, Dr. Musa Itopa Stephen, tendered the autopsy report and medical certificate of cause of death.
Dr. Stephen told the court that the post-mortem examination was conducted on March 21, 2026, at the Federal Medical Centre, Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.
He stated that the exercise was carried out in the presence of interested parties, while a police photographer documented the procedure in both hard and electronic formats.
He also informed the court that samples collected during the autopsy had been sent to a forensic laboratory for toxicology and biochemical analysis, adding that the results were still pending and would be submitted upon completion.
The pathologist tendered the medical certificate of cause of death, the full autopsy report, and 22 photographs taken during the examination.
According to the report, external examination revealed multiple blunt force injuries across the body, including a 4cm laceration on the scalp and extensive bruising on the lips, shoulders, elbows, forearms, abdomen, back, buttocks, and knees.
The right knee was notably swollen with visible scab formations.
The report also documented circumferential bruising around both wrists and ankles, more severe on the left side, described as consistent with restraint marks, likely from handcuffs and ankle cuffs.
Internal findings showed widespread subcutaneous and soft tissue haemorrhages, as well as traumatic haemarthrosis—bleeding into joint spaces—particularly severe in the right knee.
Significant blood loss and haemorrhage in the frontal scalp region were also recorded, while the brain was noted to be autolyzed, limiting further examination.
The autopsy concluded that the cause of death was haemorrhagic shock resulting from multiple severe blunt force traumatic injuries, with contributory factors including extensive internal bleeding and injuries consistent with restraint during assault.
Dr. Stephen told the court that the pattern and distribution of injuries were consistent with inflicted trauma and strongly suggested the deceased may have been restrained at the time of the assault.
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He further maintained under cross-examination that the injuries were incompatible with suicide and could have been caused by blunt objects such as sticks, planks, or batons.
The court adjourned the matter to Tuesday, April 28, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
The proceedings also came against the backdrop of an earlier official statement issued by the Bayelsa State Police Command on February 3, 2026, confirming ongoing investigations into the death of Patrick Peresoudei.
In the press statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, ANIPR, FOSSI, disclosed that four personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were being interrogated for allegedly accompanying one Bodmas Kemepadei to Amassoma Community, where the deceased was arrested.
According to the statement, Peresoudei was allegedly taken to the residence of Kemepadei in Yenagoa, where he was reportedly subjected to torture prior to his death.
The State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) was also said to be interrogating members of the Operation Restore Peace (Operation Puff Adder) team linked to the case, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend the prime suspect, Bodmas Kemepadei, who was at large at the time.
The Command, led by Commissioner of Police CP Iyamah Daniel, urged members of the public to provide useful information to aid the investigation, assuring that all suspects found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
