Tell the inquiry

[Submariner]

guardian.co.uk/media/2011/nov/21/hugh-grant-accuses-mail-phone-hacking

"Sally Dowler's voice rose as she told the inquiry what happened after a period in which every time she rang her missing daughter's mobile phone, it said the mailbox was full."

How does one tell an inquiry something? It is natural to tell a person something. But an inquiry is an activity.

[5jj]

An inquiry/enquiry can be an official investigation into a matter. If you give evidence to the members of the board of enquiry, you can be said to 'tell the enquiry' something, just as you can 'tell the court' something duing a trial.