Sylvester Oromoni (Snr), the father of the late student of Dowen College, has explained to the court why he thinks there is a “massive cover-up” in the death of his son.
He spoke on Tuesday while responding to Akingbola Goerge, a lawyer representing the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, in the ongoing coroner inquest in Lagos over his son’s alleged murder.
“We have seen a lot of videos on social media and you said eloquently that there is a massive cover-up in this case. Who are those who cover-up, when and how?” The lawyer asked.
Mr Oromoni said: “there is a massive cover-up and it is clearly stated in the police report. A Magistrates’ Court in Yaba requested for 21-days and after 14-days, the boys were granted bail when the police were not done with their investigations.
“When I saw the (former) Commissioner of Police (Hakeem Odumosu), he told me that it was not true that they were not done with their investigation.
“He said that on that day when they said they had released those boys, the courts were not sitting. I then called the Deputy Commissioner of Police. He told me the same thing and told me to give him some time.”
He said Mr Odumosu called him back and told him that they were given 21-days for their investigations and the boys had just spent 14-days in detention.
“They (police) said they were going to write a protest letter. They were already interrogating two of the students so they were taken by surprise,” he said,” he said.
“The same Commissioner of Police, after some days now publicly said that at the instance of Mr Governor, the Attorney-General and the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) said there was nothing wrong with the boys, therefore, they’ve released them.”
“Do you know the processes involved in the administration of justice regarding children?” The lawyer asked.
”No,” Mr Oromomi said.
Scan
Mr Oromoni said the deceased was taken to church on Monday morning (Nov 29) for a deliverance service – a one-hour service.
He confirmed that his doctor, Owhojede Henry, had ordered that a scan be conducted on the deceased and as of November 29, the scan showed that nothing was found in his stomach.
The lawyer asked: “would you agree with me that whatever the pathologist found in the stomach on the 2nd of December must have come after 29th?
“I don’t agree with him,” he said.
In last week’s hearing, the pathologist, Sunday Soyemi, who conducted the second autopsy, said that a blackish substance was found in the deceased’s intestine but was not tested because there was no facility with the hospital to conduct a toxicology test.
Cult group
Perrison Oromoni (deceased’s cousin) had alleged in a tweet “that five boys beat up the deceased over his refusal to join the cult, is it that he lied,” Ayi Ekpenyong, a lawyer asked.
“I can’t answer you,” Mr Oromomi said.
Before that, the lawyer had asked: “Did he mention that he was beaten because he was asked to join a cult?
Responding, Mr Oromomi said: “he didn’t mention the cult.”
He said he learnt that the deceased was beaten on November 14 in a statement before the court.
“Would you be surprised that one Peter (your employee) and Amanda (daughter) speculated that the deceased was beaten by some students of Dowen college?” Mr Ekpenyong asked.
“I’m surprised,” Mr Oromoni responded.
Mr Oromoni said “those videos were not made in anticipation of his death,” adding that the deceased’s mother made it to use it in “thanksgiving in (the) church to show what he went through.”
PREMIUM TIMES
