•Why we exonerated Dowen College pupils, others, by DPP
A coroner’s inquest into the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr), a deceased pupil of Dowen College Lekki Lagos, will begin on January 15.
Oromoni died in November last year. The 12-year-old boy was alleged to have been attacked by five of his senior colleagues for refusing to join a cult.
Falana, last year, called for a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding Oromoni’s death.
According to the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Justice M. A. Dada, the inquest will openly commence on January 15 at the Magistrate’s Court No. 4, Epe District.
In a letter dated January 4 sent to the lawyers of the family of the deceased student, Femi Falana (SAN) which was sighted by The Nation, the Coroner of Epe District, Mikail Kadiri, asked Falana to forward a list of suspects to be summoned to court.
The letter was entitled: “Re: Request for Inquest into the tragic death of Sylvester Oromoni killed at Dowen College, Lekki Lagos State.”
It read: “I have the directive of the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Justice M. A. Dada to remind you that the inquest into the death of Sylvester Oromoni will commence on Saturday, January 15, 2022, at the Magistrate’s Court No. 4, Epe District, Combined High Court and Magistrate’s Court of Lagos State, Epe at 9:00 a.m. prompt; the hearing shall be in open Court.
“You are further reminded to file and serve depositions of all witnesses you intend to call at the inquest and forward a list of people whom, in your opinion, needs to be summoned by the Court. The depositions may be filed at any of the Magisterial Districts in Lagos State and served electronically on all parties concerned.
“Please, find attached the name, firm/representation and phone numbers of parties that attended the preliminary meeting held on December 16, 2021. Thank you.”
Also, the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) has explained why the state exonerated five students and five officials of Dowen College Lagos State, suspected to be linked to the death of Master Oromoni.
A competent source in the directorate who spoke in confidence yesterday in Lagos said investigations did not establish any prima facie case of murder against the accused.
He denied allegations of foul play and cover-up being peddled on social media.
The source told reporters that two autopsies were conducted on the deceased to unravel the cause of his death.
The first autopsy was conducted by the Oromoni family in Warri, Delta State and the second by the Lagos State Government, the source said.
They showed that the late Oromoni developed severe septicemia (sepsis) as a result of an infection on his right ankle.
The first autopsy conducted on December 2, 2021, by Dr Clement Vhriterhire, a Consultant Pathologist with Central Hospital Warri, was witnessed by three other persons – an uncle of the deceased, Chief Opudu Boro, the investigating police officer and a lawyer.
The result of the autopsy conducted in Warri revealed acute bacterial pneumonia, acute pyelonephritis, acute bacterial hepatitis, acute gastritis and cerebral oedema with raised intracranial pressure.
It revealed the cause of death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.
