Ifeanyi: Nanny And Cook To Face Charges For Negligence

The two people seized in connection with the deaths of Ifeanyi Adeleke, 3, the son of Davido, a musician, and Chioma Rowland, his fiancée, may remain in police prison until an autopsy report clears them.

The nanny and the cook were directly responsible for Ifeanyi’s wellbeing, according to a reliable source who confirmed this on Wednesday. The source also suggested that they might be held accountable for negligence.

According to the source, “The cook and the nanny are guilty of neglect up until the autopsy is done. They were the ones who were directly with the youngster. We have suspects who may or may not be released depending on the case as we conduct our investigation.

“The family has not yet raised objections to the autopsy, but the hospital will determine how quickly it is completed. Reviewing the home’s CCTV is the next step, though.

Ifeanyi’s body was reportedly sent to a mortuary for an autopsy after being pulled from the swimming pool at his father’s home in the Banana Island neighborhood of Lagos State.

Eight domestic workers were subsequently invited by the police, and six of them were later freed following questioning.

However, two others, the nanny and the cook, were detained.

Contacted for a follow-up reaction, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the detention of the suspects, declined to give further details to avoid preempting investigation into the case.

He said, “If we need to detain them for longer than necessary, we will obtain a court order so as to ensure that we are not doing over detention or illegal detention.

“I can’t give much details about an ongoing investigation, but those two people detained are assisting us in our investigation. Those that were released have little or no bearing to the case but the two people detained are assisting us.

“Eight people were brought in for questioning, six people were allowed to go, the remaining two were the ones that have been placed under arrest and that makes them suspect.”

The spokesperson for the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, Asha Gangali, who described the death of Ifeanyi as devastating news, enjoined the state government to review the laws granting ownership of swimming pools to people in the state.

Gangali said, “We would rather enjoin the Lagos State Government to review the permission that is given for swimming pools and certain structures in residential areas that can endanger the lives of minors.

“So, if it is approached from a law standpoint, it will be binding on all. It is not just that we are losing our precious children in the creative and movie industry, it also affects every other individual. If people should have a swimming pool in their residence, there should be precautions to prevent such happenings.”