00:00When a person dies under questionable circumstances, an autopsy can be crucial
00:04to establishing what led to the death. A postmortem examination and report can
00:08provide important evidence for legal proceedings and help guide the pursuit of justice.
00:13But what happens when the deceased has already been cremated?
00:16The question is now at the center of a legal battle before a legal state high court.
00:21Following the death of a child of prominent Nigerian writer Shimamanda Adiche, the case
00:26raises questions about the viability of a postmortem examination after a cremation has taken place,
00:33as well as the extent of a coroner's jurisdiction and powers under the legal state law.
00:37Beyond this case, the ruling could have implications on how the corona system law is applied when the
00:43forensic examination of a body is no longer possible. For forensic practitioners and legal
00:48professionals, it could provide important guidance on the intersection of forensic evidence,
00:53coronial investigations and justice in Niger.
