Oromini : No evidence to establish  Silvester was bullied, forced to join cult –Odumosu

• says autopsies in Lagos, Delta agree Silvester died naturally

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu has said that there was no evidence to establish that 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni (Junior), a pupil of the Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, was forced to join cult or bullied to death even as further clarified that autopsies in Lagos, Delta agree that Silvester died naturally.

The CP stated this at a press conference on Friday while giving update on the investigation into the cause of the death of the late student.

Odumosu said, “At the end of diligent investigation carried out so far, there is no evidence to establish a case of torture, bullying and forceful application of poisonous substance against the suspects. All the suspects denied the allegations of torture, bullying and administering of poisonous substance to the deceased. Allegation that the deceased was being forced to join a cult group was also not established as other students interviewed denied this.”

Sylvester’s died under controversial circumstances in November 2021 and his death went viral following a social media post by his cousin, Perry Oromoni, who alleged that some senior pupils of the school beat him up in his hostel because he refused to join a cult.

But the school denied the claim, stating that the boy complained of leg pains following an injury he sustained while playing football.

The state government ordered the indefinite closure of the school pending the outcome of an investigation into the matter.

Five students and five employees of the school were arrested by the police.

However, legal advice by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Adetutu Oshinusi, cleared the suspects.

But the Oromoni’s lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), and the father of the deceased student, Sylvester Oromoni Snr, noted that the acquittal of the suspects was to pave way for the reopening of the college, whilst insisting on the coroner inquest into the death of the schoolboy.

He said the final results of the post mortem and toxicology examination conducted both at Warri and Lagos agreed that the deceased died a natural death.

The CP added, “For purpose of clarification, it is pertinent to convey to members of the public in simple terms, the commentary/submission of Dr SS Soyemi, the consultant pathologist who led a tear of pathologists to carry out the autopsy. He declared and I quote:

“Sylvester Oromoni Jr, a 12-year old student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, reportedly died on November 30, 2021, at a private hospital in Warri, Delta State. It was alleged that the deceased was physically assaulted and poisoned in the school prior to death. The first autopsy was done in Warri on December 2, 2021. Following an order for a second autopsy, the body of the deceased was brought to Lagos for a second autopsy.

“Our findings at the second autopsy include marked pallor of organs, pneumonia (infection of the lungs), infections of the liver and kidneys as well as the heart. These infections emanated from the ankle infection described earlier in the report. Microscopic sections also confirmed these findings.

“Death was caused by Septicaemia following infections of the lungs and kidneys arising from the ankle wound. No evidence of blunt force trauma in this body. The findings in the oesophagus and stomach are not compatible with chemical intoxication. Death, in this case, is natural.”