Tobias Sylvester
23-year-old Nigerian-born student, Damilola Grace Olakanmi has died after eating ‘cannabis sweets’ she bought using a mobile app in the United Kingdom.
Damilola Grace Olakanmi Cause of Death
The law undergraduate at the University of Hertfordshire was said to have bought the “gummies” via a messaging app on her phone and they were delivered to her home.
Olakanmi and her 21-year-old friend ate the sweets that came in packaging branded “Trrlli Peachie O’s”, and they immediately fell ill at their home in South Park Drive, Ilford at 11:30 pm on March 29.
According to Evening Standard, the pair were taken by air ambulance to Queen’s Hospital, Romford in critical condition after developing allergies.
But doctors later discharged Olakanmi’s friend — who happens to be a student from the United States visiting the UK — from the hospital.
Richard Taylor, a justice campaigner and relative, consoled Wunmi, the student’s mother, who kept a vigil by her daughter’s bedside as she fought for her life in an east London hospital, where she died on Saturday.
Taylor said, “Wumi has lost her only child – she has nothing now. They had to hold her up because she broke down every time a friend came to the house to give support.
“It’s a tragic warning to all young people about how they live their lives. They should resist drugs.
“Damilola was a promising young woman who should be looking forward to her future and having children of her own. She was studying law.”
A relative, named only as Dunni, said the family were demanding answers, adding that “Damilola was a sweet, quiet girl – a bit of an introvert. Her mother looked up to her.
“She was very kind and loved looking after children and wanted to please everyone. The family will never come to terms with this. We need to know what happened. Her mother is not young any more.
“We don’t want Damilola’s memory to be just like that. You want her to be remembered as the girl who asked everyone, ‘Are you okay and do you want anything?’.”
A 37-year-old suspect, Leon Brown, of South Norwood, was arrested on Friday in connection with the incident, the Daily Mail reported.
He was charged with possession with intent to supply Class B synthetic cannabinoid, being concerned in the supply of a synthetic cannabinoid, and possession with intent to supply a psychoactive substance.
The Metropolitan Police said he was found in possession of a large quantity of cash and what were believed to be edible cannabis products.
The Met said the case may be linked to another incident in March where a woman was taken to hospital after eating a cannabis sweet in Tower Hamlets.
She has since been discharged but an inquiry is underway to establish whether they came from the same batch involved in Ms Olakanmi’s death.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, of the Met’s East Area Basic Command Unit warned the public against all illegal drugs, particularly “those packaged in the form of cannabis sweets.”
Mr Bell said, “Please do not buy or consume these products. They are illegal and, because of the child-friendly packaging, they can pose a risk of accidental consumption.
“The particular batch of sweets were contained in packaging featuring Trrlli Peachie O’s branding. It has not been confirmed at this stage where the sweets were manufactured.
“Drug dealers harm communities and risk the safety of individuals. We will take positive action to target those engaged in this activity as well as those found in possession of these substances.
“Anyone with information about people selling illegal products such as these is asked to speak with local officers, call police on 101 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers.”
KanyiDaily had also reported how a Nigerian lawyer, Victor Nwosu, was fined the sum of N24 million (£43,550) for making sexual comments to a female job seeker in the United Kingdom.
