A pathologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Sunday Soyemi, on Tuesday, told Mikhail Kadiri, the coroner conducting the inquest into the controversial death of Sylvester Oromoni, reasons the deceased was not tested for alleged poisoning.
A Lekki-based school, Dowen College, has been in the eye of the storm since the demise of a 12-year-old student.
The deceased’s father had alleged that his child was beaten and forced by some senior students to drink a harmful liquid.
But the school denied the claim, alleging that he sustained injuries while playing football with his mates.
Mr Soyemi was responding to a question from Femi Falana, lawyer to the Oromoni family, during the sitting held in Ikeja on Tuesday.
He said LASUTH does not have the facility to conduct toxicology.
Giving his second reason, he said: “in conducting the toxicology, I need to take the blood, the fluid, the vitreous to be taken and sent to the lab. And the gastric content. All these were not available at the second autopsy.
“The stomach had been opened by the first pathologist and nothing was found. The blood, urine had been sucked out during embalming…,” he said.
Blackish substance
Bernard Onigah, a lawyer representing the Nigeria Bar Association, asked the pathologist: “are you telling the court that it is impossible to take a sample for toxicology as at the time the body was brought to him for an autopsy?”
The pathologist replied in the affirmative.
Earlier during the hearing, Mr Soyemi described the first autopsy as “botched.”
In the first autopsy carried out in Delta State, the pathologist, Clement Vhirterhire, said the 12-year-old died from “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication.”
Mr Soyemi said he doesn’t think the “blackish substance” found in the intestine should be taken for toxicology examination because it “could be anything, like a fecal matter mixed with the embalming fluid.”
He said he didn’t take the black substance to a toxicologist because they don’t have the facility.
READ ALSO: Why we exonerated Dowen College students, others – DPP
He said the liver was enlarged, adding that he died as a result of sepsis (infection).
“If the blackish substance was poisonous, it could have damaged or cause injury to the intestine,” he added.
Mr Falana said “can massaging of an injury lead to infection?” Mr Soyemi said “no.”
The lawyer again asked: “Are you aware that the ankle injury was subjected to massaging on the… in the sickbay of Dowen college?
Mr Soyemi said “not aware.”
Reaction to media report
Mr Soyemi said it is “embarrassing” that his colleague, Chikodili Nwigwe, who was present during the autopsy, spoke about it during a programme on Arise TV.
He said he didn’t authorise her to go to Arise TV and reveal the autopsy findings, adding that it is not normal.
He said he was embarrassed that she went on air because she only observed and didn’t perform the autopsy.
“And even if you have, you should not go to the press,” he said.
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