*Says Chief Coroner’s Inquest Still Pending

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has reacted to a legal advice issued by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Adetutu Osinusi, clearing staff and students of Dowen College of complicity in the death of a 12-year-old student of the school, Sylvester Oromoni.

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.

The state government, therefore, concluded that based on the findings, there was no prima facie case of murder, involuntary manslaughter and or malicious administering of poison with intent to harm against the suspects including Favour Benjamin (16), Micheal Kashamu (15), Edward Begue (16), Ansel Temile (14) and Kenneth Inyang (15).

But reacting in a statement, Falana said the legal advice had not laid to rest allegations of murder levelled against the suspects.

He also argued that the legal advice was hasty owing to the fact that the Chief Coroner of Lagos State 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 to January 15, 2022 for further hearing, Falana noted.

His statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to the report issued by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of Lagos State dated January 4, 2022 which has purportedly cleared five students and five employees of Dowen College of any complicity in the death of the 12-year old Sylvester Oromini Jr.

“However, the report has not laid the allegations surrounding the gruesome murder of Sylvester Oromoni to rest.

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 to January 15, 2022 for further hearing.”