The Lagos State Government has exonerated the 5 students and staffs accused of complicity in the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni of Dowen College. The school was also acquitted as well.
The State Government allegedly acted on the legal advice of the of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Ms. Adetutu Oshinusi.
According to Mrs Adetutu, the result of the toxicology test and final autopsy report does not indicate that Sylvester was poisoned as claimed by the family. Instead it stated the following as the cause of his death: Septicaemia, Lobar Pneumonia with Acute Pyelonephritis, Pyomyositis of the right ankle and Acute Bacteria Pneumonia due to severe Sepsis.
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DPP concluded that based on these findings, there is no prima facie case of murder, involuntary manslaughter and or malicious administering of poison with intent to harm against the five students, Favour Benjamin aged 16, Micheal Kashamu (15), Edward Begue (16), Ansel Temile (14) and Kenneth Inyang (15).
The state, therefore, directed that all the suspects should be released if they are still in custody.
The legal advice reads in part;
”From available facts in the duplicate case file, the investigation carried out by the Police did not reveal that any secret society name, tattoo or insignia of any unlawful society was found in the possession of any of the suspects during the investigation carried out by the Police.
To hold otherwise would amount to sniffing for an offence and a speculative act which is not permitted in law. It is trite law that suspicion no matter how grave cannot be a ground for conviction.”
Meanwhile, the school is still closed.
