Sylvester Oromoni: One year after pupil’s death, family kicks against delay in inquest

The father of Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr), a deceased student of Dowen College, says his son has not gotten justice.

Sylvester Oromoni (Snr) expressed his displeasure over the “delay” in the coroner’s inquest into his son’s death in a statement on Wednesday to mark one year of his death.

Mr Oromoni said if the matter lingers beyond 2022, he would be compelled to “take a different legal step to seek justice.”

The 12-year-year-old died 30 November 2021, after allegedly attacked by some senior students for refusing to join a cult.

Following his death, the Lagos State government shut the school and a coroner’s inquest to investigate the circumstances of his death began in January.

But the coroner inquest is yet to be concluded.

‘Delay’

Mr Oromoni called on the state government “as a matter of urgency to charge Dowen College and all the staff.”

“The legal advice earlier issued by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice, Lagos State indicted Dowen College and some of its staff and recommended them for prosecution under Section 252 of the Criminal Law (C17) Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State 2015,” the statement reads.

“Notwithstanding this advice, these individuals indicted are still walking freely while the body of the deceased continues to lie in the morgue.”

He further said that the coroner fixed 21 November for the school to produce the two remaining witnesses.

“However, due to the college’s antics and strategy, the school refused to provide these two witnesses who are currently in Dowen College on the said 21st November, 2022 to enable them to testify before the Coroner,” he added.

“As a result of that, the inquest was further adjourned to 28th November, 2022. Unfortunately, the coroner could not also sit on this date because of the unavailability of these vital witnesses from Dowen College.”

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He said he promised his deceased son that he would seek justice even if it took 30 years.

“Today, the 30th of November 2022 makes it a year since the demise of my son and the body is still in the morgue, yet to be buried,” he said.

READ ALSO: Oromoni’s Death: Founder, board members of Dowen College ‘step down‘

“This one-year memorial being held today is to tell Nigerians and the entire world about the current position of the inquest and the antics of Dowen College.”

The bereaved father also appealed to the coroner, to “urgently” bring the matter to an end.

Contacted, Jerry Adeyemi, a spokesperson for Dowen, said he could not comment on the matter.

“The coroner inquest says we (Dowen College and Oromoni family) should not grant any media interview for now.”