Five students and five officials of Dowen College linked to the death of a 12-year-old student of the college, Sylvester Oromoni, have been cleared of all accusations by Lagos State Government.
The decision was conveyed in legal advice signed by Adetutu Osinusi, the director of public prosecution (DPP), on Wednesday.
Recall that Oromoni died last November after efforts to save his life failed. The 12-year-old boy was alleged to have been attacked by five of his senior colleagues for refusing to join a cult.
Read Also: 12-Year-Old Dowen College Student Reportedly Beaten To Death For Refusing To Join Cult
Oromoni’s father had claimed that his child was beaten and fed a liquid chemical that eventually claimed his life.
However, Dowen College dismissed the claim, saying the boy sustained injuries while playing football with his colleagues.
Read Also: Lagos Govt Indefinitely Shuts Dowen College In Lekki Over Sylvester Oromoni’s Death
Thereafter, Hakeem Odumosu, Lagos police commissioner, ordered a probe into the case while the school was sealed off.
Two autopsies were done on the deceased, one by the Delta police and the second by the force’s Lagos command.
Read Also: Father Of Late Dowen College Student Alleges He Was Beaten, Fed Chemical (Video)
The first autopsy earlier released to the public had revealed that the deceased died of “chemical intoxication”.
Following a police probe, Odumosu said findings had been forwarded to the DPP and a response had been received.
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In the DPP’s advice released on Wednesday, it was stated that the police probe and the two autopsies conducted on the body of the deceased student failed to establish a prima facie case against the suspects.
It added the interim and final autopsy reports issued by Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and toxicology report of post-mortem samples revealed the cause of death as “Septicaemia, Lobar Pneumonia with Acute Pyelonephritis, Pyomyositis of the right ankle, and Acute Bacteria Pneumonia due to severe Sepsis”.
Read Also: Autopsy Reveals Sylvester Oromoni Died From ‘Acute Lung Injury From Chemical Intoxication’
According to the DPP report, there was no prima facie case of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and or malicious administering of poison with intent to harm [the deceased] against the five accused Dowen College students.
The state cleared the minors of belonging to unlawful society (cultism) due to insufficient facts to establish the claim.
Lagos also cleared the school and five of its employees (Celina Uduak, Valentine Igboekweze, Hammed Ayomo Bariyu, Adesanya Olusesan Olusegun, and one Adeyemi) of the alleged offense of “negligent act causing harm”.
The state government, therefore, directed that all the suspects should be released if they are still in custody.
