By Lawal Adenike
Following the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecution, Miss Adetutu Oshinusi, the Lagos State Government has cleared five students and employees of Dowen college linked to the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni.
The legal advice which was addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department and the trial magistrate, Magistrate Olatunbosun Adeola does not only state that the case of Sylvester was neither murder nor poisoning, it also claimed that the 10 suspects were not responsible for the boy’s death.
It noted that the interim and final autopsy reports issued by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and toxicology report of post mortem samples was in agreement with that of the Central Hospital, Warri as to the cause of death namely: Septicaemia, Lobar Pneumonia with Acute Pyelonephritis, Pyomyositis of the right ankle and Acute Bacteria Pneumonia due to severe Sepsis.
The result of the toxicology is also not indicative of any toxic or poisonous substance in the body of the deceased.
The statement 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.”
It concluded that no prima facie case of murder, involuntary manslaughter and or malicious administering of poison with intent to harm against the five students.
The students cleared by the state government were: 16-year-old Favour Benjamin, Edward Begue (16), Ansel Temile (14) and Kenneth Inyang (15) and 15-year-old Micheal Kashamu, the son of the late senator, Buruji Kashamu.
Staff cleared by the government through the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), were: Celina Uduak, Valentine Igboekweze, Hammed Ayomo Bariyu, Adesanya Olusesan Olusegun and one Adeyemi.
The state, therefore, directed that all the suspect be released if they are still in custody.
