A coroner’s inquest into the death of 12-year-old Sylvester
Oromoni (Junior), a pupil of the Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, will commence on
January 15, 2022.
According to the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Justice M. A.
Dada, the inquest will openly commence on January 15 at Magistrate Court No. 4,
Epe District.
In a letter dated January 4, to the lawyers to the family of
the deceased students, Femi Falana (SAN), the Coroner of Epe District, Mikail
Kadiri, asked the lawyer to forward a list of suspects to be summoned to court.
The letter was titled, ‘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, Honourable Justice M. A. Dada to remind you that the inquest into the
death of Sylvester Oromoni will commence on Saturday, 15th January, 2022 at
Magistrate Court No. 4, Epe District, Combined High Court and Magistrate Court
of Lagos State, Epe at 9:00am 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 persons
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 the 16th December, 2021. Thank you.”
Sylvester’s died under controversial circumstances in
November 2021 and his death went viral following a social media post by his
cousin, Perry Oromoni, who alleged that some senior pupils of the school 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.
The state government ordered the indefinite closure of the
school pending the outcome of an investigation into the matter.
Five students and five employees of the school were arrested
by the police.
However, legal advice by the Directorate of Public
Prosecutions, Adetutu Oshinusi, cleared the suspects.
But Falana and the father of the deceased student, Sylvester
Oromoni Snr, noted that the acquittal of the suspects was to pave way for the
reopening of the college.
Reacting to the DPP’s advice, the deceased’s father, said
the family would seek its own legal advice.
He said, “I will not make my next line of action public for
now, but what came out today is not strange to us. On December 31, the
Commissioner of Police said at the instance of the DPP and the Attorney General
he had released the house masters so far there was no case; so what came out
today was not different from what the Commissioner of Police said.
“They are doing all these things because they want to open
the school and they have their own agenda. This is just the beginning of the
case; we have not even started. I will also advise the school not to open, and
if they decide to open, there is no problem, we have not started this matter.
We will get our legal advice and know the next action to take.”
Falana also said, “The report has not laid to rest the
allegations surrounding the gruesome murder of Sylvester Oromoni. The report is
escapist and hasty as the authorities are aware of the fact that the Chief
Coroner of Lagos State has ordered that an inquest be conducted into the
circumstances surrounding the unnatural death of Sylvester Oromoni. The
inquest, which commenced before the coroner on December 16, 2021, has been
adjourned till January 15, 2022 for further hearing.”
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