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I won’t bury my son even if it takes 30 years to get justice – Sylvester’s dad

Published

3 years ago

January 8, 2022

Sylvester Oromoni

• No evidence Sylvester was tortured, bullied – Lagos CP

Sylvester Oromoni, the father of the late 12-year-old pupil of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, has restated the family’s commitment to get justice, saying that he would not bury his son even if it takes 30 years to get justice.

He also kicked against the report of the autopsy carried out at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, alleging that there was foul play.

Sylvester’s death went viral following a social media post by his cousin, Perry Oromoni, who alleged that some senior pupils of the school beat him up in his hostel because he refused to join a cult.

The school denied the claim, stating that the boy complained of leg pains following an injury he sustained while playing football.

The state government ordered the indefinite closure of the school pending the outcome of an investigation into the matter.

Five students and five employees of the school were arrested by the police but legal advice by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Adetutu Oshinusi, cleared the suspects.

The autopsy carried out by a consultant pathologist at the Central Hospital Warri, Clement Vhriterhire, revealed that Sylvester died of “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force trauma.”

But the interim and final autopsy report by LASUTH attributed the cause of death to “Septicaemia, lobar pneumonia with acute pyelonephritis and pyomyositis of the right ankle.”

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However, the outgoing Commissioner of Police in the state, Hakeem Odumosu, on Friday said the toxicology report of the first autopsy carried out in Warri was released on December 30, 2021, signed by Vhriterhire, attributing cause of death to “acute bacteria pneumonia due to severe sepsis.”

Sylvester Snr and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, had kicked against the DPP’s advice with the latter describing the report as “escapist and hasty.”

Falana had said, “The report has not laid to rest the allegations surrounding the gruesome murder of Sylvester Oromoni. The report is escapist and hasty as the authorities are aware of the fact that the Chief Coroner of Lagos State has ordered that an inquest be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the unnatural death of Sylvester Oromoni. The inquest, which commenced before the coroner on December 16, 2021, has been adjourned till January 15, 2022 for further hearing.”

Speaking to our correspondent on Friday the father said the case had yet to have a closure, insisting that his son would not be buried until “justice is served” even if it took as long as 30 years.

He said, “The family does not have power. We only rely on God. If they insist that the school will reopen, there is no problem. If God keeps me for 20 or 30 years, I will follow up this case. Government will come, the government will go. I am not bothered. The soul of that boy is crying round. God is alive; He cannot be bribed.

“My son will never be buried. If it takes me 30 years to get justice, he would remain there (in the mortuary). He is my son; I won’t bury him. Nigerians should look beyond what they are saying.”

Asked if he had any doubt over the autopsy released by the state government, he retorted “Do they have any autopsy report? They don’t have any. The doctor that did the autopsy in Delta State was recommended by the Area Commander. He is not the family doctor. We don’t know him. Our lawyer applied to the Area Command to get a copy of the autopsy.”

But Odumosu, during a press briefing held at the police headquarters in Ikeja on Friday and tagged ‘Sylvester Oromoni Jnr: Update on Investigation,’ dismissed any foul play.

He said eight persons–five pupils and three house masters – were arrested following a petition to the police on the matter, adding that on December 9, 2021, he interviewed the late pupil’s family, the school management, and witnesses at the command’s headquarters.

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He said, “During the open interview, it was unanimously agreed that another autopsy should be carried out where pathologists from all parties would be present. Investigation was extended to Delta State and Abuja. I will like to state here that investigation revealed that the same case was reported at the Area Command Warri, Delta State, on December 1, 2021.

“It has also been established that a post mortem examination was initially carried out on December 2, 2021 by a Consultant Pathologist, Dr. Clement Vhriterhire of the Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State. The result of the first autopsy dated December 10, 2021 attributed the cause of death to ‘acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force trauma.’

“However, toxicology screening was recommended and also carried out. While waiting for the result of the toxicology, another autopsy was ordered by the Coroner Magistrate in Lagos because of the status of jurisdiction. The corpse was, therefore, moved with armed police escorts from Delta State to Lagos State by TOS Funeral and the autopsy conducted at the expense of the Lagos State Government. The second autopsy was carried out at the Lagos state University Teaching Hospital on December 14, 2021 in the presence of representatives of all the parties involved in the case.”

The CP said the second autopsy was carried out by the Consultant Pathologist and Chief Examiner, Department of Pathology and Forensic Sciences, LASUTH, Dr. S.S Soyemi, witnessed by representatives of all the parties, including Vhriterhire, as well as police officers, among other principal officials.

Odumosu said the final results of the post mortem and toxicology examination conducted at Delta and Lagos states agreed that the deceased died a natural death.

He stated, “Before the expiration of the 21 days remand order, the families of the students applied for their bail at the Magistrates’ Court 1 Yaba. The application was approved hence the students who were earlier remanded at Boys Home, Oregun, were granted bail. The house masters were also granted bail after the expiration of the 21 days remand order.

“The result of the second autopsy carried out in Lagos was released on December 21, 2021. The result attributed the cause of death to ‘Septicaemia, lobar pneumonia with acute pyelonephritis and pyomyositis of the right ankle.’ On December 30, 2021, the toxicology screening results of the first autopsy carried out in Warri was released. The result issued and signed by Dr Clement Vhriterhire, the same doctor who carried out the initial autopsy, attributed the cause of death to ‘acute bacteria pneumonia due to severe sepsis.’

“At the end of diligent investigation carried out so far, there is no evidence to establish a case of torture, bullying and forceful application of poisonous substance against the suspects. All the suspects denied the allegations of torture, bullying and administering of poisonous substance to the deceased. Allegation that the deceased was being forced to join a cult group was also not established as other students interviewed denied this.”

Punch

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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November 14, 2024

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Published

10 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Published

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November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.