The Lagos State Government has exonerated the five students and staff of Dowen College, Lagos, arrested in connection with the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni.
They were all cleared, including the school, following the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Ms. Adetutu Oshinusi addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID and the trial magistrate, Magistrate Olatunbosun Adeola.
In the legal advice, it was reported that the cause of his death was “Septicaemia, Lobar Pneumonia with Acute Pyelonephritis, Pyomyositis of the right ankle and Acute Bacteria Pneumonia due to severe Sepsis.”
They added that the toxicology report of Sylvester’s post mortem samples did not show any toxic or poisonous substance in his body, as claimed by his family.
The DPP’s legal advice, therefore, concluded that based on these findings, there is no 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 students were also cleared of claims of belonging to a cult due to insufficient facts to establish the offence.
“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.” the legal advice read in part.
The school and its five employees: Celina Uduak, Valentine Igboekweze, Hammed Ayomo Bariyu, Adesanya Olusesan Olusegun and one Adeyemi, were also cleared of all charges and directions have been given for all the suspects to be released from custody.
Meanwhile, the school is still closed.