Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Human rights lawyer has reacted to the legal advice issued by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Adetutu Osinusi, exonerating five students and officials of Dowen College over the death of Sylvester Oromoni.
Recall that the DPP in its Legal Advice addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, and the trial magistrate, Magistrate Olatunbosun Adeola stated that the interim and final autopsy reports issued by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and toxicology report of post mortem samples and that of the Central Hospital, Warri were in agreement as to the cause of death namely: Septicaemia, Lobar Pneumonia with Acute Pyelonephritis, Pyomyositis of the right ankle and Acute Bacteria Pneumonia due to severe Sepsis.
It, therefore, concluded that based on these findings, there is “no prima facie case of murder, involuntary manslaughter and or malicious administering of poison with intent to harm against the five students”.
Reacting to this development, Falana who is the counsel to the Oromoni family, said the legal advice had not laid to rest allegations of murder levelled against the suspects.
He argued that the legal advice was hasty because 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 16th December 2021 has been adjourned to 15th January 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.”