The legal team representing the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has formally petitioned the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, urging the command to ensure that Mary Habila’s autopsy is conducted before her remains are released for burial, insisting that the post-mortem examination is critical to determining the actual cause of her death.
Key Highlights:
- David Umahi’s lawyers have petitioned the Ebonyi State Police Command over Mary Habila’s autopsy.
- The legal team urged police not to release her remains for burial until a post-mortem examination is completed.
- The petition requests that qualified forensic pathologists conduct the autopsy.
- Lawyers said the move is necessary to establish the true cause of death and preserve the integrity of investigations.
- Mary Habila died on June 27, 2026, at a staff residential building within Umahi’s residence in Uburu.
- Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death are ongoing.
In a letter dated July 15, 2026, and acknowledged by the Ebonyi State Police Command on the same day, the law firm Roy & Associates said it was acting on the instructions of the Minister of Works.
Lawyers Seek Comprehensive Investigation
According to the petition, Mary Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences (DUFUMS), Uburu, who was on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, died on June 27, 2026, in a staff residential building located within the minister’s residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The lawyers clarified that the deceased did not reside in the same building as the minister, explaining that the facility was designated exclusively for members of Umahi’s staff and other personnel attached to him.
They further stated that on the night of the incident, only Habila and another female occupant, identified as a physiotherapist, were in the building.
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Request for Mary Habila’s Autopsy
The legal team urged the police to ensure that Mary Habila’s autopsy is carried out by qualified forensic pathologists to scientifically establish the actual cause and circumstances surrounding her death.
According to the petition, the lawyers also requested that the deceased’s remains should not be released to any person, including her next of kin, until the autopsy and every other relevant investigative procedure have been concluded.
They argued that the request is necessary to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation, eliminate speculation, and ensure that the true cause of Habila’s death is conclusively determined before burial.
Investigation Continues
The petition comes amid growing public interest in the circumstances surrounding Mary Habila’s death, with the Ebonyi State Police Command already confirming that investigations are underway.
Authorities have maintained that the outcome of the autopsy will play a significant role in establishing the facts surrounding the case.
