The coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, who was investigating the cause of the death of Sylvester Oromoni, a late student at Dowen College in Lagos, has concluded that the dead died naturally.
In a decision that lasted more than 6 hours, the coroner also determined that the Oromoni’s death was preventable due to the parents’ and medical team’s incompetence.
Magistrate Kadiri absolved some Dowen College students identified in the event, concluding that they had no role in Sylvester’s death and should not have been involved.
The coroner also made several recommendations to prevent similar tragic events in the future. He cautioned parents not to take their children’s health lightly.
He also urged the police and medical teams to work together in the future and for the police to exercise prudence before making arrests.
He also advised Dowen College management to guarantee appropriate recording of student access and exit from the hostel, as well as proper psychological evaluation for the five pupils suspected of bullying the dead.
The late Oromoni Jnr died on November 30, 2021, at a private hospital in Warri, Delta State, as a result of health difficulties purportedly caused by his school, Dowen College in Lagos.
Following his death, the Lagos State Government closed the school, and a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding his death commenced in January 2022.
