….. Court admits audio, video evidence

08 Feb ….. Court admits audio, video evidence

A coroner in Ikeja, Mikhail Kadiri, has admitted two audio and one video pieces of evidence against Dowen College on Monday in the death of Sylvester Oromoni, who was a student of the institution.

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 force-fed a liquid that killed him by some senior students.

But the school denied the claim, alleging that he sustained injuries while playing football with his mates.

His controversial death led to the Lagos State government sealing the school.

Audio evidence: In one of the audio pieces of evidence submitted to the court, the deceased’s father, Sylvester Oromoni Snr, was heard discussing via telephone with a student of the school who had witnessed the bullying of his son.

The boy, who was identified simply as Afolabi, said the room where the deceased was bullied “is always dark.”

“I didn’t see their faces but I heard him (Sylvester) shouting. Nobody was there, I was downstairs…,” he said.

The schoolboy said he reported the matter to the vice-principal and he was asked to write a statement.

He said he didn’t see their faces but they were about three to five students, adding that there was nobody to help the deceased.

The deceased’s family’s lawyer, Andrew Efole, also tendered in evidence a “damaged” traveling box belonging to the deceased.

Video evidence: In the CCTV footage where the deceased was said to have been brought to their Lagos home, Mr Oromoni Jnr was in pain all over his body and had swollen lips.

At a point, he was gently carried into the car and was aided to the laboratory for an x-ray test.

In the same video, he refused to be touched by his sister and a woman believed to be his mother in their residence because of his pain.

However, a lawyer for Dowen College, Anthony Kpokpo, said the pieces of evidence were deliberately kept away from them.

“The video we have just watched and the managed video has always been in the custody of the deceased family,” he said.

He said the box was not mentioned in the statement of oath.

He prayed that the coroner give his team some time to review the evidence to “appropriately prepare to cross-examine the witness.”

Olumide Akinnimi, a lawyer to one of the accused students, said there is a need for the matter to be adjourned so that the evidence can be reviewed.

Izuchukwu Ohajinwa, a lawyer for the school, requested the source of the video and full names of the people involved in the audio and relevance of the travelling box in the matter.

Earlier in the inquest, just before Amanda Oromoni, a minor and sister of the deceased, gave her testimony, a lawyer, Bernard Onigah, had pleaded with the coroner citing section 191 (1) of the Child Right Law of Lagos State that protects children and their privacy from the press and members of the public.

He said the minor must be respected at all stages and protected from undue publicity, adding that the press and members of the public should be excluded from the inquest.

Mr Oromoni’s testimony which was scheduled in the last sitting for Monday was adjourned to February 14.

At the last sitting, the Oromoni’s family doctor, Henry Owhojede, narrated how he treated the deceased at home for five days before his death.

He also said the deceased was taken to a church.