The father of late Sylvester Oromoni Junior of Dowen College in Lagos State,
has told a Lagos Coroner Court that the deceased was treated at home and not hospital.
The witness revealed this in his evidence in an ongoing coroner inquest to determine the cause of death of the eleven year-old Sylvester Oromoni Junior.
In his cross- examination by counsel, Mr. Godwin Omoaka representing one of the accused student behind the alleged molestation of late Sylvester, the witness told coroner court that his son was treated at home after the family doctor told him that there was no private ward.
“He was taken to hospital and the doctor said there was no private ward and he was taken back to the house. Later he was taken to St Leo Diagnosis for x-ray and scan.
He was asked if he will be surprised that there was no evidence of beating on the deceased.
Mr Oromoni Senior responded that he will not be surprised, he noted that it depends on when the beaten occured.
He said the beaten did not occur on November 21, 2021. He further told the court that one of the students mentioned his deceased son got injured on November 14, 2021 on the field of play.
He however confirmed to the court that he granted interviews to various media houses.
Mr Omoaka prayed the court to order watching of the four clips of video interview.
The counsel representing Dowen College, Mr. Kpokpo told the court that the videos were already before the court.
‘Even though the coroner is not bound by the rules of evidence, an examiner is not bound to frontload the document to contradict the witness. By the basic rules of fairness, Coroner is not bound to the basic’.
‘It is proper that the video be accepted especially, when it will throw light in the darkness. To unveil the fact as they are and not contrived to be, he said”.
Mr. Andrew Efole, lawyer to the Oromoni family responded that, ” submission of Mr Kpokpo was not whether the video should be admitted or not.
He clarified that the issue was to playing the video and served them the clips. We are not saying the videos should not be played.
Mr Akin George had earlier told the court that the videos of the interview be played to throw light on the ongoing inquest.
However, Sylvester’s father further told court that after his son passed on, he called the people that wanted to go and bury him to bring him back.
“His corpse was brought back home. He was brought to the font of my gate and the police came, they took some photographs and videos the body.”
When he was asked that the family doctor, Aghogho has told court that he did not find any evidence of blunt force trauma on the deceased, the witness responded that he will be surprised, adding that he will also be disappointed that the doctor said the deceased died from injection of toxic substance.
He also said that he did not call anybody to massage the leg but to examine it.
The coroner Magistrate therefore adjourned further hearing till tomorrow February 15, 2022.
