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  • Oromoni was treated at home, not taken to the hospital – Father reveals

    Oromoni was treated at home, not taken to the hospital – Father reveals

    Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, the late Dowen College Student who was alleged by his family to have sustained injuries as a result of bullying by five senior students of the college was not treated at a hospital.

    Mr Sylvester Oromoni Snr, the father of late Oromoni Jnr made the revelation on Monday before an Ikeja Coroner’s Inquest while being cross-examined by the counsel to one of the accused students, Mr Godwin Omoaka (SAN).

    The witness told the inquest that his son was treated at home in Warri, Delta, after the Oromoni family doctor, Dr Aghogho Owhojede, had said there was no private ward available in his hospital.

    He gave a timeline of events from when Oromoni Jnr was brought home from school by his guardian, Mr Clifford Tejere, on Nov. 23, 2021 from school.

    He said Tejere did not notice any sign of beating on the body of the deceased and that no swollen spot was noticed on the ankle of the late student, where it was alleged by the school that he had sustained a football injury.

    The witness noted that a full body x-ray was not conducted by the family when he came home from school.

    “There was an x-ray conducted on the part the school wanted us to do, which was the legs down. He was taken to a diagnostic centre,” Oromoni Snr said.

    The father of the deceased revealed that his son was not taken to the hospital on Nov. 24, 2021 by the family and that he arrived Lagos from Delta at 6.00 p.m. on Nov. 25, 2021 after he was alerted by his family that his son was in a critical state.

    He revealed that after he arrived Lagos, he took his son back to Dowen College, arriving at the school at 7. 00 p.m. to pack his belongings.

    He said on Nov. 26, 2021, he left for Warri, Delta, with his son and arrived in the evening and that Oromoni Jnr was not taken to the hospital on that day.

    “On Nov. 26, 27 and 28 2021, he was treated in my house on doctor’s directives.

    “On Nov. 29, he was taken to St Louis Laboratory for a scan. We were referred by the doctor to go there.

    “I was not there on that day because I had rushed to my house in Asaba, Delta to pick up something and I came back the next morning, which is Nov. 30, 2021.

    “He died on Nov. 30, 2021; I was already in Warri when he died. I was in the hospital when the doctor confirmed to us that he did not make it,” he said.

    The witness further revealed that after Oromoni Jnr was confirmed dead, the family wanted to bury him immediately.

    “From the clinic, they were taking him for burial. I called them and they brought him back in the Hilux that they were using to convey him and they parked in front of my gate.

    “The police came and took pictures and videos of the body and after that they asked me to take him to the mortuary and not bury him,” he said.

    Following the revelation of the witness, Omoaka requested that a series of interviews Oromoni Snr had granted to the press (Arise TV, the Punch Newspapers and BBC Pidgin) be played at the inquest.

    In the various footage, the witness was alleging that his son was dragged, severely beaten, his stomach stumped upon by some senior students of the school.

    Responding to more questions, Oromoni Snr revealed that he had never been to his son’s hostel at Dowen College.

    He, however, accepted that other students would have heard his son cry out if he was being beaten by alleged bullies.

    The Coroner, Mr Mikhail Kadiri, adjourned proceedings until Feb. 15 for continuation of the cross-examination.

    The 12-year-old Oromoni died on Nov. 30, 2021 from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College for allegedly refusing to join a cult.

    It was also alleged that he was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.

    The Lagos State DPP Advice released on Jan. 4 disputed the allegation stating that two autopsies revealed the cause of Oromoni’s death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.

  • Graphic autopsy photos of late Dowen student shown at coroner’s inquest

    Graphic autopsy photos of late Dowen student shown at coroner’s inquest

    Over a hundred graphic autopsy photographs of late Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, were on Tuesday shown at an Ikeja Coroner’s Court set up to unravel the circumstances surrounding his demise.

    The photographs were displayed on a projector during the testimony of Dr Sunday Soyemi, the pathologist who led the team that conducted a second autopsy on Dec. 14, 2022 on the deceased.

    The first autopsy was conducted on Dec. 2, 2021 by Dr Clement Vhriterhire, a Consultant Pathologist with Central Hospital Warri, Delta.

    The photographs showed the corpse of the deceased on an autopsy table at the Lagos State University Hospital (LASUTH). The corpse had visible incisions from the first autopsy.

    The pathologist was led in evidence by Dr Jide Martins, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Throwing some light during a slideshow of photographs of body parts of the deceased, Soyemi said: “On his right thigh was the embalmment site and an injury was shown on his right ankle.

    “On the back of his left wrist appears to be a circular bruise. On the right side of his face, above the right eyebrow is what looks like a C-shaped incision.

    “This was done during an attempt to remove the brain at the first autopsy. It is a postmortem injury.

    “There’s a recent external injury on the right lower limb. This is where we saw the Pyelonephritis (infection). It was never mentioned in the first autopsy.

    “The marks on the chin are postmortem injuries acquired after death.”

    Shedding light on a photograph of late Oromoni’s heart and lungs, the pathologist said the organs should have been separated at the first autopsy.

    “The two lungs should have been severed and weighed, likewise the heart.

    “I made several incisions on the lungs and I found areas that showed consolidation which means lobal pneumonia,” he said.

    The pathologist said samples were taken from the lungs of the deceased and taken to a laboratory for testing.

    “We looked at it under the microscope and we confirmed that lobal pneumonia.

    “When I opened the heart, no pathology (illness) was found. This is a photograph of the liver, I was trying to remove the gall bladder which was not removed at the first autopsy, there are many reasons why the gall bladder must be removed.

    “I made several cuts to the liver and sent to the lab and it showed he had hepatitis, an infection of the liver,” he said.

    Soyemi noted that the kidney was also not dissected during the first autopsy and that when parts of the kidney were examined at the laboratory, it was shown to have an infection called pyelonephritis.

    He noted that the intestines were not opened during the first autopsy and that when he examined the intestines, it was not damaged but that it contained a blackish substance which was probably what the deceased had injested.

    “I checked for deep bruising through the process called skinning. There was skinning of the back to check for deep bruising and none were found.

    “If he was physically assaulted, the exposed areas will show haemorrhage.

    “There is reddening in the lower parts of the legs, this shows that the embalming fluid did not get to that part. The body was not properly embalmed.

    “The ankles have been opened and we can see brown discoloration. A section was taken from that part and it was bringing out pus,” he said.

    The pathologist said he opened the skull and examined the brain of the deceased. He noticed that the brain was very pale and did not contain enough blood.

    He also showed the inquest, radiographs of the total body x-ray performed on the corpse prior to the autopsy.

    Soyemi said the x-ray was performed to determine if there were any fractures or skeletal injuries on the deceased. He noted that none were found.

    Giving his findings, the pathologist said “death was ascribed to a generalised infection known as septicemia.

    “We were able to identify the source and it could not be treated. What could have been used in treating the deceased is a massive dose of intravenous antibiotics, intravenous fluids and blood transfusions.”

    Following the testimony of the pathologist, counsel for Dowen College, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the accused Dowen College students waived their rights to be served copies of the autopsy photographs.

    “We will rely on the records of the court. We do not want to be a part of any possible leakage of these sensitive documents,” Mr Anthony Kpokpo, the counsel for Dowen College said.

    Earlier during proceedings, before the photographs were displayed, the DPP informed the inquest that copies of the photographs were not served on all the parties to the proceedings.

    “We tendered the photographs to the court but we did not serve other parties due to the confidentiality of the deceased,” Martins said.

    Counsel for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Bernard Oniga, in his submission pleaded for confidentiality of the photographs and urged counsel present to not release the photographs to social media.

    The pathologist also pleaded that the photographs should not be released.

    “If those photos should get to social media, the Medical and Dental Council will sanction me due to a breach in doctor, patient confidentiality,” Soyemi said.

    Counsel for the Oromoni family, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), assured Soyemi that he would not be sanctioned.

    “As a former counsel to the Medical and Dental Council, court proceedings are exempted by the council. You are protected,” he said

    The Coroner, Mr Mikhail Kadiri, adjourned proceedings until Feb. 6 for the continuation of the evidence of the father of the deceased.

  • Oromoni’s first autopsy not properly done – Pathologist

    Oromoni’s first autopsy not properly done – Pathologist

    A pathologist, Dr Sokunle Soyemi, has informed an Ikeja Coroner’s Court that the first autopsy conducted at Warri, Delta, on the late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr., a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, was botched.

    Soyemi, who has 17-year experience in the field of pathology, made the claim on Tuesday while testifying for Lagos State Government at an inquest set up to unravel the cause of the student’s death.

    He was led in evidence by Dr Jide Martins, the Director of the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    Soyemi testified that the body of late student was brought to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital on Dec. 13, 2021, and he conducted an autopsy on him the following day in the presence of seven other pathologists.

    “Before I started the autopsy, the doctor who conducted the first autopsy was in attendance throughout. I observed the first incision that was made for the first autopsy.

    “I observed the first autopsy was not properly done. All the things that were not properly done were documented in my report.

    “At the first autopsy, the pathologist never opened the oesophagus (the food pipe). He also did not open the trachea (air pipe). These are vital things he should not have left out.

    “The conclusion in his report was chemical intoxication. For one to be intoxicated with a chemical, that chemical has to pass through the food path.

    “If one does not open the food path, one cannot talk about chemical intoxication. The chemical that should be injurious to one should pass through the oesophagus.

    “It should not have been anything near chemical intoxication if it did not pass through the oesophagus,” Soyemi said.

    The witness said further that the pathologist who conducted the first autopsy in Warri, Delta, did not look into the lungs of the deceased and also did not detach the heart from the lungs as was the standard practice.

    “If he had done that and weighed the lungs, the weight alone would have told him that something was wrong with the lungs.

    “Your honour, these are a few of the things he did not do. I will say that he did a botched autopsy. Your honour, this is the cause of the controversy concerning this case,” Soyemi said.

    Counsel to the Oromoni family, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), however, objected to the evidence of the pathologist.

    He said that Soyemi was testifying on a matter (first autopsy report) which had not been tendered before the inquest by the DPP.

    “We urge the coroner to stop the move by the DPP to turn the witness to an expert in a matter that is not before the court.

    “The learned DPP should have tendered the first autopsy report and asked the witness to compare it with his own. It is not his duty to speak on another autopsy report,” he said.

    Responding, the DPP said that the witness, an expert witness, was speaking on the state of a body which was before him prior to carrying out a postmortem.

    “He owes this court a duty to explain all the issues that are relevant to the determination of this inquest.

    “He needs to explain to this court the findings of the examination he carried out,” Martins said.

    The Coroner, Mr Mikhail Kadiri, in a short ruling, allowed the testimony of the pathologist on the first autopsy.

    He said the witness was shedding more light on the autopsy he conducted on late Oromoni particularly the state of the body of the deceased.

    The coroner said that the information would aid the inquest in its fact-finding mission.

    Following the ruling, Soyemi revealed his findings to the inquest. He said the late Dowen College student had lobal pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and infection of the liver.

    “He also had an infection of the kidney and an infection of the right ankle, the soft tissue and the muscle covering the bone of the ankle.

    “Against these findings, his death was ascribed to septicemia, lobal pneumonia with pyelonephritis (infection of the kidney) arising from the pyelonephritis of the right ankle.

    “The summary of this is that he had a generalised infection,” Soyemi said.

    He adjourned proceedings to Feb. 14 for the continuation of hearing.

    It was alleged that the 12-year-old student died on Nov. 30, 2021, from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College for refusing to join a cult.

    It was also alleged that he was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.

    The Lagos State DPP Advice released on Jan. 4, however, disputed the allegation, stating that an autopsy conducted in Lagos revealed the real cause of his death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.

  • Dowen College: Oromoni Snr weeps as he watches late son video clip during court session

    Dowen College: Oromoni Snr weeps as he watches late son video clip during court session

    The testimony of the father of late Sylvester Oromoni (Junior), a pupil of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos State, who died under controversial circumstances, could no longer bottle up as he wept bitterly watching video clip of his late son groaning in pains during court session.

    The matter has been adjourned till February 14 following the failure of the prosecution to serve the documents sought to be tendered as evidence in the inquest.

    Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri adjourned proceedings following an argument of the defence counsel that the prosecution failed to serve them the documents.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls the news of Sylvester’s death went viral following a social media post by his cousin, Perry Oromoni, who alleged that some senior pupils of the college beat him up in his hostel because he refused to join a cult.

    But the school denied the claim, stating that the boy complained of leg pains following an injury he sustained while playing football.

    A coroner inquest was set up to look into the circumstances surrounding the death.

    At Monday’s proceedings, journalists and other members of the public were barred from proceedings when Sylvester’s sister, Amanda, wanted to testify before the coroner inquest.

    Counsel for the Nigerian Bar Association, Bernard Oniga, raised the issue of the Child Rights Law of Lagos State concerning the testimony of the minor in an open court.

    “This matter has been highly sensationalised. Any minor that so wishes to appear before it must be accorded some level of privacy because she still has a future ahead,” he added.

    Thereafter, Magistrate Kadiri asked journalists and members of the public to exit the courtroom.

    Following the testimony of the deceased’s sister, Sylvester’s father was placed on oath to testify before the inquest.

    However, when the family’s lawyer, Andrew Efole, informed the court of the documents he sought to tender in the evidence-in-chief of Oromoni’s senior, the defence lawyers objected to them on the grounds that they were not aware of the documents.

    Efole told the court that he could not serve the other parties because the officer in charge of the police legal unit did not provide him the necessary documents on time.

    Responding, counsel representing one of the five pupils, Godwin Omoaka (SAN), said, “We are just seeing these documents for the first time; the defence counsel had them and did not give them to us. He also has videos to tender through this witness, but we have not had the privilege to view them.

    “It is appropriate that we see this video and watch, otherwise we won’t be able to cross-examine the witness. While we do not object to their admissibility, we ask that the video be played in the open court before we begin with the witness.”

    Also responding, counsel for Dowen College, Anthony Kokpo, aligned himself with the counsel that the video be played in court.

    The counsel for the Lagos State Government, Akin George, said the ministry had made the documents available earlier.

    Following the arguments of the counsel, Magistrate Kadiri adjourned till February 14 for the testimony of the deceased’s father to be taken.

    He further ordered the family’s lawyer to serve the necessary documents on the other parties and adjourned the proceedings till Tuesday for the testimony of the pathologist.

    The pieces of evidence sought to be tendered by the family’s lawyer included a flash drive containing the audio conversation between him and a father of one Afolabi, a Junior Secondary Student of Dowen College, and another audio conversation with Afolabi, who confirmed that the deceased was bullied because he heard him shouting and nobody was there to help.

    In the video that was played in the courtroom, our correspondent observed as the victim was carried away from the school on the arm of his brother’s friend on Tuesday, November 23, 2021.

    Another video also showed Sylvester being carried by two people at the laboratory while he groaned with pain after an X-ray was carried out on him.

    His school box that was allegedly damaged in the school was also presented as evidence before the court.

    The father of the deceased broke down in tears as he watched the video of his son groaning with pain.

  • Dowen College accuses Sylvester Oromoni’s family of ‘ambush’

    Dowen College accuses Sylvester Oromoni’s family of ‘ambush’

    Dowen College, Lagos, on Monday alleged before an Ikeja Coroner’s Court that it was ambushed by Mr Sylvester Oromoni Snr, father of a late student of school, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.

    The counsel to Dowen College, Mr Anthony Kpokpo, made the allegation at the start of the testimony of Oromoni Snr. after some documents, videos and audio recording were tendered in evidence.

    Kpokpo said that the documents, videos and audio were withheld from other parties in the suit all the while to create shock.

    The evidence include documents, photographs, audio recordings, videos and battered luggage of the deceased.

    They were tendered by counsel to the Oromoni family, Mr Andrew Efole.

    Video and photo slideshows of late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr. was played at the inquest.

    One of the videos was Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) of Nov. 23, 2021, which showed the late student arriving home from school.

    In the footage, he could not walk into his home from the vehicle that brought him.

    He had to be given a piggyback into his home.

    A voice speaking over the recording said: “This is my brother when he was brought home from school. I had to call the security man to come and carry my brother.

    “I do not know where Mr Adeyemi got his facts that he (Oromoni Jnr.) walked by himself.”

    Other footages showed the late student crying in severe pain, being unable to walk and being aided by two female relatives.

    Other videos showed him in various states of pain and discomfort.

    There was an audio recording of Oromoni Snr. enquiring from late student’s classmate about what happened to his son.

    Following the playing of the footages and audio, Kpokpo described tendering of the documents as an “intent to ambush the other side”.

    “The content of this flash affirms our earlier assertion that it was deliberately kept away from us.

    “The videos that we just watched and the managed audio we listened to had always been in the custody of the family of the deceased and was brought at this stage for shock value.

    “In the circumstances of what we are seeing, we are constrained to go and view all the materials put before us.

    “I pray that my learned friend is kind enough to extend the curtesy to us as we did to them so that we will be appropriately prepared to cross-examine the witness to move forward,” he said.

    Counsel to Lagos State Government, Mr Akin George, also described the development as ‘ambush’.

    “It will not be out of place to say the counsel on the other side acted in the nature of ambush,” he said.

    Mr Godwin Omoaka (SAN), counsel to one of the accused Dowen College students, said that other parties to the proceedings were blindsided.

    “My learned friend (Efole) ought to have made the documents available to us all this while.

    “It is only appropriate that we see those videos and watch them, else, it will impact on the issue of fair hearing to us,” he said.

    The Coroner Mr Mikhail Kadiri, adjourned the evidence of Oromoni Snr. until Feb. 14.

    “This is to enable parties to study the documents and videos,” he said.

    Proceedings were, however, adjourned until Feb. 8, for the testimony of a pathologist.

    NAN reports that it was alleged that the 12-year-old Oromoni Jnr. died on Nov. 30, 2021 from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College for refusing to join a cult.

    It was also alleged that he was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.

    Advice by Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions released on Jan. 4, however, disputed the allegation, stating that two autopsies revealed the cause of the student’s death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.

  • Sylvester Oromoni: Family doctor didn’t give diagnosis – Dowen College claims

    Sylvester Oromoni: Family doctor didn’t give diagnosis – Dowen College claims

    Dr Aghogho Owhojede, who treated the late Sylvester Oromoni before his death, did not give medical diagnosis for the 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lagos.

    Owhojede, the Oromoni family doctor, also did not issue the student’s certificate of death.

    Counsel to Dowen College made the claim on Tuesday at a coroner’s inquest to unravel the circumstances sorrounding the death of the student.

    The counsel, Mr Anthony Kpokpo, examined Owhojede at an Ikeja Coroner’s Court.

    Owhojede gave evidence for more than seven hours (9.30am to 5.15pm) at the inquest.

    He was questioned by counsel representing Dowen College, two accused students of the school, Lagos State Government and Nigerian Bar Association.

    Owhojede, who has practised general medicine for 24 years, has been the Oromoni family doctor for 15 years.

    He treated the late student at home for acute malaria from Nov. 26, 2021, until his death on Nov. 30, 2021.

    Holding Owhojede’s medical notes during proceedings, counsel to Dowen College, Kpokpo, said that the document revealed that Owhojede never gave diagnosis for the late student.

    Disputing Kpokpo’s claims, Owhojede said, “The diagnosis is not stated there (medical notes) but it is implied.”

    The doctor disagreed with the counsel’s assertion that a medical note without a diagnosis “is directionless”, but agreed that it was not normal to treat a patient without diagnosis.

    Asking the medical doctor why he did not issue the late student’s certificate of death, Kpokpo said: “You told the police that you did not issue certificate of death because there was much wailing in your hospital.

    “Were you one of those wailing? Did the wailing affect your professional judgment?”

    Responding, Owhojede admitted not issuing certificate of death due to the aforementioned reason.

    He, however, said that he was not wailing on the day the student passed away and that the wailing did not affect his professional judgment.

    The Dowen College lawyer added at the inquest that Owhojede did not take the late student’s temperature when he treated him on Nov. 27, 2021.

    “As at Nov. 26, 2021, you recorded in your notes that the temperature of the deceased was 38.7 degrees. Was this a cause for concern?

    “With the temperature so high in your opinion, will that be a child who required urgent medical attention?

    “As at Nov. 27, 2021, you recorded that his temperature was down. Can you take your notes and read the value?” he asked.

    Responding, the doctor said, “His temperature on Nov. 26, 2021, was a cause for concern.

    “It was down on Nov. 27, 2021, but I did not record it in my notes.

    “A doctor will know if temperature is down because he will determine if the patient is febrile (showing symptoms of fever) to touch or afebrile (not feverish) to touch,” he replied.

    The Dowen College counsel said that when Owhojede started treating the late student on Nov. 26, 2021, his Packed Cell Volume (PVC) was 31 per cent and by Nov. 30, 2021 it had fallen to 21 per cent.

    Kpokpo said that on Nov. 26, 2021, the deceased’s white blood cells were 6,800 but by Nov. 30, 2021, they had increased exponentially to 17,500.

    “If you had checked his white blood cells on 27 to 29 Nov. 2021, you would have noticed that there was hyperactivity of white blood cells which indicated the deceased was fighting an infection,” he said.

    Owhojede disagreed with the assertion, sayng that other factors could have caused the increase of white blood cells.

    Making further claims, Kpokpo said that the increased white blood cells was indicative of Leukocytosis (increase of white blood cells in the body during an infection) which indicated that the child’s immune system was being compromised.

    The lawyer said that on Nov. 26, 2021, when the doctor started treatment of the late Dowen College student, his blood sugar was 107 and by Nov. 30, 2021, it had crashed to 54.

    “Did you at any point in time come to the conclusion that the child likely had an infection?” Kpokpo asked.

    Responding, Owhojede said, “I knew he had a problem more than infection.”

    The Dowen College lawyer added that the doctor’s medical notes revealed that the late student had an enlarged liver.

    “The enlarged liver was discovered on Nov. 26, 2021. You indicated that the deceased was in severe painful distress and was repeatedly opening his excoriated (damaged) lips and mouth,” he said.

    Kpokpo asked the medical doctor if he conducted a liver function test to determine whether the organ was functioning optimally after he discovered that the late student had an enlarged liver.

    “No I did not,” the doctor responded.

    The counsel further asked why the doctor did not see the late student, who was in a critical state, for 32 hours (from 9.00 a.m. on Nov. 27, 2021, until 5.00 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2021).

    “If he had been in your hospital, would you have been away from a patient under severe painful distress and enlarged liver for that long?” Kpokpo asked.

    “The answer is yes. I visited him severally, a nurse was with him,” the doctor replied.

    Kpokpo informed the inquest that the doctor’s medical notes of Nov. 30, 2021, indicated that the late student was brought in Dead on Arrival (DoA) to his hospital.

    He said that the time of the death was not indicated in the medical notes.

    Mr Bernard Oniga, counsel to Nigerian Bar Association, questioned Aghogho’s level of care .

    “In your opinion, did you discharge full and acceptable level of care, due diligence and professionalism in the care for the deceased, taking into consideration that he had escalation of white blood cells from 6,800 to 17,500.

    “His PCV dropped from 34 per cent on Nov. 26, 2021 to 21 per cent on Nov. 29, 2021, and his blood sugar crashed from 107 to 54, all within your care?” Oniga asked.

    “Yes, my lord,” the medical doctor replied.

    Adjourning proceedings, the Coroner, Mr Mikhail Kadiri, said, “Case is adjourned to Feb. 7 for further proceedings.

    “The law firm of Falana and Falana should ensure attendance of the father of the deceased at the proceedings.

    “Evidence of the pathologist will be taken on Feb. 8.”

    NAN reports that it was alleged that the 12-year-old student died on Nov. 30, 202, from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College for allegedly refusing to join a cult.

    It was also alleged that he was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.

    Advice by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution, which was released on Jan. 4, however, disputed the allegations, stating that two autopsies revealed the cause of the student’s death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.

  • Sylvester Oromoni: Father’s absence stalls proceedings

    Sylvester Oromoni: Father’s absence stalls proceedings

    The absence of Mr Sylvester Oromoni senior, the father of Sylvester Oromoni, the late 12-year-old student of Dowen College on Monday stalled proceedings at the Coroner Inquest to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death.

    Newsmen reports that the Coroner Inquest, which was previously holding at the High Court, Epe, Lagos, is now holding within the premises of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos.

    Also absent during proceedings was the sister of the deceased who alongside Oromoni Snr, was also slated to testify.

    Giving the reason for their non-appearance, counsel for the Oromoni family, Mr Andrew Efole, informed the inquest that it was due to ill health of the sister of the deceased.

    “The girl who ought to testify is sick, the father who ought to be here is attending to the child who is receiving treatment,” he said.

    On the whereabout of the mother of the deceased and why she could not attend to her ailing child to enable Oromoni attend proceedings, Efole said, “The mother is not strong now for the things she is going through.”

    Earlier during proceedings, counsel to Dowen College, Mr Anthony Okpoko, expressed dissatisfaction with the interview granted by Oromoni Snr published in the newspapers on the day of proceedings.

    Okpoko said the actions of Oromoni Snr was in contravention of an order granted by the Coroner’s Court restraining all parties from making comments to the press.

    The Dowen College counsel, expressing his unhappiness to the inquest, said another relative of the deceased, Perri Oromoni has been tweeting in respect of the matter.

    “This is a breach,” Okpoko said.

    Responding, the Coroner, Mr Mikhail Kadiri, reiterated the Order, threatening to issue a Summon on the said relative (Perri Oromoni).

    “Why has he single-handedly decided to be the Coroner?” Kadiri queried.

    Efole, counsel to the Oromoni family, apologised and promised to bring witnesses on the next hearing date.

    Reacting, the counsel for the Lagos State government, Mr Akin George, urged the court to apply Section 48(10) of the Coroner System Law.

    Section 48(10) states that “Any person whose act or conduct contravenes any of the provisions of this law where no penalty is specified, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to (two) two years’ imprisonment.”

    The counsel for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr Bernard Oniga called for stiff sanctions for erring parties who showed disregard and disrespect to the Coroner Court.

    Responding, the Coroner told the Oromoni family’s counsel: “On Friday we made no progress, on Thursday no progress both at your instance.

    “I hope this is not a deliberate attempt to cast aspersions on this Inquest and to my personality.”

    Kadiri adjourned the Inquest to Feb. 1 for continuation of hearing.

  • Oromoni’s death: Dowen College founder, board step down

    Oromoni’s death: Dowen College founder, board step down

    The Founder of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, Dr. Olumide Phillips, has stepped down from office.

    Phillips, who served as board chairman of the institution, also announced their (board) retirement in a statement signed by Tomi Borisade.

    Part of the statement read, “The founding members of the Board of Governors including the founder and Chairman of the Board, Dr. O. Olumide Phillips, have decided to retire and pass the baton of change to a new generation of seasoned professionals who will run with the vision, leadership passion, commitment and values they have worked rigorously to establish.

    “This will also enhance communication and effectiveness with the Parents Teachers Forum.”

    The school added that it is working with the Lagos State Ministry of Education and has taken on board their guidance and suggestions concerning various areas of improvement.

    They also promised to implement infrastructural changes to the hostels and school facilities to enhance safety and oversight within the school premises.

    The management concluded by commiserating with the family of late Sylvester Oromoni, praying that the school never experience such an unfortunate incident again.

    Recall that Dowen college was shut down in December 2021 following the protests and outcry after the death of Oromoni.

  • Sylvester Oromoni: Ijaw Youth Council rejects Lagos DPP advice, hires SAN

    Sylvester Oromoni: Ijaw Youth Council rejects Lagos DPP advice, hires SAN

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has rejected the Advice of the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) exonerating students and officials of Dowen College, Lagos, from the death of Sylvester Oromoni, a student of the college.

    The group has hired the legal services of Chief Anthony George-Ikoli (SAN) to seek justice over the demise of Oromoni.

    Mr Henry Oyobolo, the Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the IYC, faulted the Lagos DPP advice of Jan. 4. at a media briefing in Lagos on Friday.

    He said following the release of the DPP Advice, the IYC staged a peaceful protest on Jan. 6 at the gates of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, to express their grievance and displeasure about the findings of the Lagos State government.

    The IYC Chairman said following the protest, the group hired George-Ikoli (SAN), a former Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of Bayelsa, as legal counsel.

    “Some of the scope of Chief George-Ikoli’s work will be to reveal all medical reports, statements released by the police, Dowen College and Lagos State Ministry of Justice as well as all correspondence and documentation exchanged between all stakeholders.

    “He will liaise with the law firm of Mr Femi Falana (SAN) or any other law firm instructed by Sylvester Oromoni’s father in any court or other proceedings in relation to the facts of the case.

    “He will also take appropriate steps towards representing Ijaw Youth Council, Lagos Chapter, if and when necessary,” Oyobolo said.

    The group assured the Oromoni family of their support and reiterated their resolve to do everything legally possible to get justice for the deceased.

    There were allegations that the 12-year-old Oromoni died on Nov. 30, 2021 from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College for allegedly refusing to join a cult.

    It was also alleged that he was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.

    The Jan. 4, Lagos State DPP Advice, however, stated that the cause of Oromoni’s death was acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.

  • Sylvester Oromoni: We have enough evidence to rubbish massive cover up – Femi Falana

    Sylvester Oromoni: We have enough evidence to rubbish massive cover up – Femi Falana

    Fiery lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN has said there’s more than enough to rubbish cover up on the death of Sylvester Oromoni, student of Dowen college.

    Falana, who is the counsel to the Oromoni family, stated this last Monday during an interview on Channels TV.

    The activist lawyer said:“We are going to establish evidence of a massive cover-up,” he said. “You say there wasn’t evidence that there was a secret society. How?

    “We searched the suspect and didn’t find any tattoo, we didn’t find any insignia. Is that how to prove?”

    Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College died on November 30 from the injuries sustained during an alleged assault by five of his colleagues who wanted to initiate him into cultism.

    To unravel the mystery behind the teenager’s death, the Lagos State Government initially arrested five students and two employees of the school accused of complicity in the death.

    However, the accused were later cleared by the government on Wednesday last week, a situation that generated mixed feelings.

    The government had cleared them following the Legal Advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms. Adetutu Oshinusi, that there was no prima facie case against the suspects.

    Falana insisted that the state government did not have a Director of Public Prosecution on January 4 when the report was issued.

    “From the press conference of the Commissioner of Police and from the legal advice that hoods out of the Ministry of Justice that was alleged to be issued by the Director of Public Prosecution, the Lagos State government did not have a Director of Public Prosecution on January 4 when that report came out of the ministry,” he said.