Dowen College: Coroner Fixes Dec 15 For Preliminary Meeting, Police Arrest Three Students

Coroner fixes Dec 15 for preliminary meeting

METROTOP NEWS
By Olalekan Olabulo And Yekini Jimoh With Agency Report

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FIVE students of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, who were arrested by the police in Lagos State in connection with the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni are to remain in detention pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the state.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the police secured the remand order on Tuesday at the Yaba Magistrates’ Court.

Parents and lawyers of the students were, however, disappointed following the decision of the police to obtain the detention order.

The parents and their lawyers had expected the students to be released after Tuesday’s investigations as reportedly promised by the police on Monday.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that three of the students and some members of staff of the school showed up for police investigations on Monday.

They were reportedly released to their parents and lawyers after assurances that the students would be presented on Tuesday and any other time that they would be needed for interrogations.

Things, however, changed on Tuesday as the police decided to detain the five students who were present for investigations.

Lawyers and parents of the students objected to the decision of the police to keep the students, prompting the police to seek a remand order from the court.

It was however not clear if the two additional students who showed up on Tuesday were those mentioned by the deceased.

The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had earlier in the day confirmed that three Odumosu, who confirmed this during a TV show on Tuesday, described the students in custody and two others as “prime suspects.”

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the police had invited the management of the school and the five students who were mentioned by the deceased for questioning on Monday.

The police boss also said the command was already working with its counterpart in Delta State to conduct a post-mortem on the body of the late Oromoni.

Odumosu had directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Maroko to immediately visit the school to carry out initial investigation into the incident.

In view of the seriousness of the case, the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, had also been directed to take over the case immediately.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that a Twitter user @perrisonoromoni, who claimed to be a cousin of the deceased, posted the death of Oromoni Jnr on Wednesday, December 1.

According to @perrisonoromoni, the deceased was bullied and beaten by fellow students, which led to his death.

However, Dowen College, in a statement, denied the allegations, stating that Oromoni only complained of body pains from playing football.

The school also directed students to take Friday, December 3, off and resume on Monday, December 6, following the incident and to also enable the students to study for their examinations.

@perrisonoromoni subsequently put out photos and video evidence, which showed the bruises on the deceased’s body.

The Lagos State Ministry of Education on Friday, December 3, announced the indefinite closure of the college pending the outcome of investigation into the boy’s death.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Chief Coroner, Justice M.A. Dada, has invited the principal partner, Falana and Falana’s chambers, Mr Femi Falana, to a preliminary meeting over his request for inquest into the death of Oromoni.

The Coroner, Epe District, Mikail Olukayode Kadri, stated this in a letter issued to newsmen in Lagos. The Coroner also stated that directive had been issued to act on the chambers’ request.

The letter read: “Your letter dated December 6, 2021, in respect of the above subject matters refers please.

“I have the directive of the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Honourable Justice M.A. Dada, to act on your request and you are hereby invited to a preliminary meeting scheduled to hold as follows: “Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at the Magistrates’ Court No 4, Chambers of the Coroner, Epe District, combined High Court and Magistrate Court of Lagos State, Epe at 9:00 a.m.”

Also, as reactions to the death of Oromoni continue to pour in, the Kogi State government on Tuesday, condemned the incident which led to the death of the 12-year-old.

The state government, through the Director-General, Kogi Public Defender and Citizens’ Rights Commission (PDCRC), Mr Abdullahi Zakari, condemned the act at a press conference held in the Commission’s office at the state secretariat in Lokoja.

Zakari noted that the press conference was in response to the incident at Dowen College in Lagos, adding that it could happen in any state, just as he advised school managements in Kogi to ensure the protection of the rights of the child as enshrined in the constitution and the State Child Rights Law, 2009.

Dowen College: Coroner fixes Dec 15 for preliminary meeting, police arrest three students