Family demands coroner inquest into Sylvester Omoroni’s death

The family of Sylvester Omoroni, the 12-year-old pupil of Dowen College, Lekki who died last Tuesday, has demanded a coroner’s inquest into circumstances surrounding his death.

Sylvester’s family made the request through their lawyer, Fẹmi Falana (SAN), in a letter dated December 6 2021 and sent to the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Justice Mojisola Dada.

Sylvester is believed to have died as a result of bullying and torture by some students who allegedly wanted him to join their cult group.

Falana said he has been briefed by Sylvester’s family.

Falana, in the letter, said the circumstances leading to the death of the boy demands that the inquest be conducted.

“We are a firm of legal practitioners committed to the defence of human rights, rule of law and public accountability in Nigeria. We have been briefed by the family of the late Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, who died from injuries he allegedly sustained from the beating by his colleagues that wanted him to join their secret cult group.

“Given the needless death of Sylvester Oromoni, we are compelled to request you to use your good offices to cause a coroner’s inquest to be conducted into the cause of death of this young and promising boy and make appropriate recommendations pursuant to Section 15 of the Lagos State Coroner’s Law 2007 which provides that an inquest shall hold whenever a coroner is informed that the death of a deceased person within his Coroner District is as a result of a death in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation.

“We hereby request Your Lordship to conduct an inquest into the circumstances surrounding this tragic death at Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos State and we are confident that Your Lordship will accede to our request with utmost urgency,” the letter said.

(The Nation)