The outcome of the Coroner’s inquest into the death of 12-year-old Dowen College student, Sylvester Oromoni, will will be made known on or before April 12, 2024.
The Coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, made this known during the adoption of final written addresses by parties involved in the case on Monday, January 15.
Kadiri said that findings from the inquest, which began on Nov. 30, 2021, before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, would be made public. Counsels in the suit adopted their final written addresses at the proceedings today.
Chief Femi Falana (SAN) represented the Oromoni Family while Mr Anthony Kpokpo represented Dowen College.
Sylvester Oromoni Jnr. reportedly died on Nov. 30, 2021, at a private hospital in Warri, Delta, after alleged health complications at Dowen College, Lagos. After his death, the Lagos State Government shut the school and set up a coroner’s inquest to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death after his parents alleged that the deceased mentioned the names of some of his schoolmates whom he accused of bullying him. The family also insisted that their son died from injuries he suffered as a result of bullying by five senior students of the college, and claimed that he was not treated by the school after the incident. However, Dowen College claims that the JS2 student was not bullied or attacked by any student but was injured during a football match with fellow students.
The inquest began sitting in January 2022. On Oct. 9, 2023, the mother of the deceased, Rosemary Oromoni, testified as the last witness before the coroner. She told the court that her late son never had any health challenges before the complaints he made a few days after his death.
According to the witness, she could not take the late student to the hospital on the day he arrived home from school with complaints, a few days before his death.
Kadiri then commiserated with the witness and her family on the death of the student and admitted the statement she made at a police station in evidence.
The coroner directed counsel in the inquest to file their final written addresses within two weeks. Kadiri adjourned the case until Nov. 20, 2023, for adoption of the final written addresses. The adoption was further adjourned until Jan. 15.
