Mr Sylvester Oromoni Snr, the father of Sylvester Junior, a 12-year-old Dowen College student who died in controversial circumstances after allegedly being bullied and forced to drink a substance, has rejected the Coroner Inquest’s decision indicting him, his wife, and the family doctor for their son’s death.
He stated that it was not the end of the case because the medical expert did not provide a conclusive result for the black substance discovered in their son’s stomach.
On Monday, the Coroner Inquest into the death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr exonerated Dowen College and the five students accused of bullying, beating, and forcing the deceased to drink a substance that allegedly caused his death, while indicting the deceased’s parents and family doctor for negligence.
Sylvester Oromoni Jnr. passed away on November 30, 2021.
In his decision at the Ogba Magistrate Court, the coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, ruled that Dowen College, its staff members, and five students, Favour Benjamin, 16; Edward Begue (16); Ansel Temile (14); Kenneth Inyang, and Michael Kashamu, 16, son of the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, played no role in Oromoni’s death.
He cleared the school of any carelessness, as well as the five senior students accused of tormenting the dead and giving him a lethal chemical.
He said, “The alleged suspects played no part in Sylvester’s death but were victims of their past misdeeds. They were falsely accused, and no staff of Dowen College played any role in the death. The school has improved its facilities since the incident.
“The claims of chemical intoxication were never proven, and the faces of those allegedly bullying the deceased weren’t seen. The alleged confession of Sylvester was denied by several witnesses. Even if he was beaten, it didn’t lead to his death.”
He stated that on November 20, 2021, the deceased played football and had his leg massaged by his roommates and the school nurse.
Magistrate Kadiri, who conducted the inquest and revealed his findings, stated that the death was avoidable.
Kadiri, who broke down in tears from time to time, claimed that Oromoni’s death was preventable and that the family doctor, Aghogho Owhojede, and the parents were negligent in not taking him to the hospital until the day of his death on November 30, 2021.
“The deceased went through an avoidable and excruciating pain and was made to suffer needlessly,” Kadiri said.
In a press conference shortly after the verdict, the father of the deceased stated that the medical expert had not provided them with a definitive outcome.
“They said they saw a substance inside the body of the deceased. Was it tested, it wasn’t tested. This is not the end of the case. As far as I am concerned it does not represent a true proceeding of the evidence taken,” he said.
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When asked about his next action and if he would appeal the judgment, he said, “Don’t worry, I will consult my lawyer.
“If you send a child to school, a distant school, who is to take care of the child in the school? Is it not the principal and the doctor of the school?
“if you say that it is the doctor after five days that is supposed to take care of the child and that the doctor here and the school principal are exempted, who is the immediate parent of the boy?” he queried.
