The death of the 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Slyvester Oromoni Junior, has attracted comments and reactions, particularly with the latest development where five students and staff of the school were all exonerated by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The Legal advice by the DPP indicated that ‘there is no prima facie case of murder, involuntary manslaughter and or malicious administering of poison with intent to harm’ against the students and the House Masters, hence, they cannot be prosecuted.
However, the deceased parent, some quarters, and individuals are accusing the Police and Lagos State Government of a cover-up.
On Friday, the State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, held a press briefing on the case, which according to him, was a necessity of duty and in the interest of justice, transparency, and openness.
The Commissioner of Police recalled that on the 2nd of December, 2021 via a petition dated 1/12/2021 written by V.O. Grant & Co and signed by A.E. Efole et al, the DPO Maroko was immediately directed to carry out a preliminary investigation into the incident. Due to the gravity of the allegations, the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, took over the case on the 3rd of December, 2021.
During the investigation, eight suspects were arrested and a remand warrant dated 7th December 2021 was obtained at the Yaba Magistrate Court to enable the Police to detain the suspects for 21 days.
As the investigations continued, an autopsy was carried out in Warri and Lagos, and the result indicated that there was no toxic substance or physical mark of violence on the deceased body.
At the end of the diligent investigation carried out so far, there is no evidence to establish a case of torture, bullying, and forceful application of poisonous substances against the suspects, the Police boss asserted.
Final results of the post mortem and toxicology examination conducted both at Warri and Lagos agreed that the deceased died a natural death, according to the Commissioner of Police.
The statement read in part: “Following a formal complaint received on 2nd December 2021 via a petition dated 1/12/2021 written by V.O. Grant & Co, and signed by A.E. Efole et al, the DPO Maroko was immediately directed to carry out a preliminary investigation into the incident notwithstanding that the incident was not reported at any Police Station.
“The same day the petition was received, DPO Maroko commenced preliminary investigation by visiting the Dowen College, Maroko, on a fact-finding mission. However, due to the seriousness of the incident and the dare need to carry out a diligent investigation, the State CID was directed by me to take over the investigation of the case with immediate effect.
“In compliance with this directive, the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti took over the case on 3rd December 2021 and continued investigation in earnest. In the course of the investigation, eight suspects were arrested. The suspects included three House Masters of the College and five students who were said to have been mentioned by the deceased before his death.
The suspects were:
Students:
i. Ansel Temile ‘m’ aged 14
ii. Michael Kashamu ‘m’ aged 15
iii. Kenneth Inyang ‘m’ aged 15
iv. Favour Benjamin ‘m’ aged 16
v. Edward Begue ‘m’ aged 16
Housemasters:
vi. Valentine Igbokwe ‘m aged 45
vii. Ahmed Bariyu ‘m’ aged 52
viii.Adesanya Olusegun ‘m aged 42
“A remand warrant dated 7th December 2021 was obtained at the Yaba Magistrate Court to enable the police to detain the suspects for 21 days in the first instance while the investigation continued. On 9th December, 2021, all the parties including the deceased’s family, the school management and witnesses were interviewed by me at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
“During the open interview, it was unanimously agreed that another autopsy should be carried out where pathologists from all parties would be present. The investigation was extended to Delta State and Abuja. I will like to state here that investigation revealed that the same case was reported at the Area Command Warri, Delta State on 1st December 2021. It has also been established that a post mortem examination was initially carried out on 2nd December, 2021 by a Consultant Pathologist, Dr. Clement Vhriterhire of the Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State. The result of the first autopsy dated 10th December 2021 attributed the cause of death to ‘acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force trauma’. However, toxicology screening was recommended and also carried out.
“While waiting for the result of the toxicology, another autopsy was ordered by the Coroner Magistrate in Lagos because of the status of jurisdiction. The corpse was, therefore, moved with armed police escorts from Delta State to Lagos State by TOS Funeral and the an autopsy conducted at the expense of the Lagos State Government.
“The second autopsy was carried out at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital on 14th December 2021 in the presence of representatives of all the parties involved in the case. The second autopsy was carried out by Dr. S.S Soyemi, the Consultant Pathologist and Chief Examiner, Department of Pathology and Forensic Sciences,
Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos. The result of the second autopsy carried out in Lagos was released on 21st December 2021. The result attributed the cause of death to ‘Septicaemia, lobar pneumonia with acute pyelonephritis and pyomyositis of the right ankle’.
“On 30th December 2021, the toxicology screening results of the first autopsy carried out in Warri was released. The result issued and signed by Dr. Clement Vhriterhire, the same doctor who carried out the initial autopsy attributed the cause of death to ‘acute bacteria pneumonia due to severe sepsis’
“At the end of diligent investigation carried out so far, there is no evidence to establish a case of torture, bullying, and forceful application of poisonous substances against the suspects. All the suspects denied the allegations of torture, bullying, and administering of poisonous substance to the deceased. Allegations that the deceased
was being forced to join a cult group was also not established as other
students interviewed denied this.
“Final results of the post mortem and toxicology examination conducted both at Warri and Lagos agreed that the deceased died a natural Death.”
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