Oromoni: Pathologist report says ‘chemical intoxication’ caused the death

By Tunde Oso

Consultant pathologist, Clement Vhriterhire, of Central Hospital, Warri, who conducted the autopsy on Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, who died on November 30 last year, has established that he died of “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force trauma.”

This report came just as Oromoni’s family kicked against the decision of the Lagos Police to release the housemaster and other staff of the college.

The 12-year-old boy was alleged to have been attacked for refusing to join a cult group. Oromoni’s father had alleged that his child was beaten and fed a liquid chemical. But Dowen College had dismissed the claim, saying the boy sustained injuries while playing football with his colleagues.

Lagos Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, had ordered a probe while Dowen College was sealed off. Odumosu, briefing newsmen on Friday, said the schoolhouse masters involved in the case had been released since the court order to remand them had expired.

He also said that the police, which had concluded its investigations, had forwarded its report to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and had received a response.

According to Odumosu, “The corpse was brought from Delta State to Lagos. The post-mortem was carried out in Lagos. The result is out, as of now, it has not brought out the issue of murder on anybody. Toxicology is still to be carried out, which is the final one. The interim one has not. Based on that, the court order we got has elapsed and we have released the housemaster and others on bail as of yesterday because they have not been indicted of murder. It is only murder cases that are not subject to bail. 

“Since the medical report has not indicted them so far, I think there is a need for them to have their freedom because bail is not the end of the case.”

The development comes after the court had granted bail to five students charged with the alleged murder of Oromoni.

Perry Oromoni, a member of the bereaved family, who spoke to newsmen kicked against the outcome of the police probe, accusing the Lagos Police Command and the state government of hoarding the second autopsy result of the corpse.

He accused the Lagos State Government of deciding to go in favour of Dowen College, Lagos and the alleged murderers involved.

“The Oromoni family has been quiet because we’ve been patiently waiting for the Lagos government to conclude their autopsy and also see how swift they are in carrying out justice for Sylvester,” he lamented.

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