The father of the deceased, Mr Oromoni said it was a shame on the government of Lagos State to have allowed gang up against the innocent boy
The family of Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lagos who was allegedly bullied to death at the school, has reacted to a legal advice issued yesterday by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Adetutu Osinusi, clearing staff and students of Dowen College of complicity in the death of the young man.
The family said there seemed to be connivance on the part of the state government, while asking President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, and the Chairman National Human Rights Commission and other rights’ groups to wade in and get justice for them.
Recall that on Tuesday, Osinusi issued a legal advice which stated that police investigation and the two autopsies conducted on the body of the deceased failed to establish a prima facie case against the suspects — five students and five staff of the college.
According to the Legal Advice, the interim and final autopsy reports issued by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and toxicology report of post-mortem samples established the cause of death as Septicaemia, Lobar Pneumonia with Acute Pyelonephritis, Pyomyositis of the right ankle and Acute Bacteria Pneumonia due to severe Sepsis.[story_link align="left"]103232[/story_link]
Reacting in a statement, the father of the deceased, Mr Oromoni said it was a shame on the government of Lagos State to have allowed gang up against the innocent boy ”who died as a result of negligence from the management of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos.
He said, “I am appalled by the said legal advice dated the 4th day of January 2021 being circulated on social media as a copy was not obliged to us despite several requests for same.
“Be that as it may, I am not surprised with the content of said legal advice because the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr Hakeem Odumosu who had earlier preempted the report on the 31st day of December 2021 when he said that at the instance of the Governor, Attorney-General and Director of Public Prosecution of Lagos State, the investigation had been concluded and that those arrested in connection with the murder had no case to answer and thereby exonerated.
“You could recall that on the 21st day of December 2021, a Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos presided over by Mrs Olatunbosun Adeola granted the five suspects bail even though the DPP Advice was yet to be issued.
“Our findings from both the Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID, Panti denied being aware of the release of the five suspects. The Commissioner of Police further maintained that they were yet to conclude their investigation, hence the issue of bail would not have arisen.[story_link align="left"]103050[/story_link]
“It may interest you to know that the suspects were ordered to be remanded by the police for 21 days by the same Magistrate Court to have a proper investigation.
“It is my belief and a shame on the Lagos State Government to have allowed this kind of gang up against an innocent boy who died as a result of negligence from the management of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos.
“There is a clear oral statement from my son before he died and his schoolmates that he was tortured and given an unknown substance suspected to be POISON which led to his death.
“The management of Dowen College, Lekki Lagos has always claimed that my late son sustained the injury while playing football. All evidence gathered so far has shown that this is not the true story but a way to cover up their negligence.
“Based on the outcome of the autopsy report which contradicts the story of Dowen college, it is my firm belief that there is a conspiracy among the officials of Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command to cover up the circumstances surrounding the gruesome death of my son, Late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.
“It is disheartening that in the DPP advice, the State of Lagos claims that the five suspects have no case to answer. The germane question to ask, in whose custody was my Late Son Sylvester Oromoni Jnr. at all material times when the substance was forcefully administered to him?[story_link align="left"]102060[/story_link]
“Finally, I call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Inspector General of Police, Chairman National Human Rights Commission, Civil society, International Human Right Groups and the general public to help me get Justice as the turn of events has clearly shown that Justice is being tampered with.
“I have instructed my team of lawyers led by Mr Femi Falana, SAN to take all necessary steps within the purview of the law to get justice for my son Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.”