Journalists and other members of the public have been barred from covering or witnessing the coroner’s inquest into the controversial death of Sylvester Oromoni Jr.
The coroner’s inquest was set up in December 2021 by the Lagos State government to unravel the circumstances leading to the death of the 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lagos.
At the hearing on Monday, the court registrar announced that only lawyers were permitted in the courtroom, urging journalists and others to take their leave.
Nationnewslead reports that the decision was taken because some of the senior students of Dowen College who allegedly beat the deceased were in court to testify.
A representative of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch, Benard Oniga, said journalists would not be allowed to cover the proceedings during the week as minors would be testifying.
“Journalists will be shut out from covering the inquest this week because minors will be testifying. The witnesses are minors, and the purpose is to protect the Child Rights Acts,” he said.
The 12-year-old pupil died on November 30, 2021. His death has continued to elicit heated controversies.
His family had alleged that he died from injuries he sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College, for refusing to join a cult.
The family also claimed that the late pupil was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.
But the school denied both claims, saying the late student only sustained a leg injury while playing football.
Also, the advice by the Lagos director of public prosecutions released on January 4 disputed the allegations.
It stated that an autopsy revealed the cause of the student’s death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis. Continue Reading
