By Femi Falana, SAN

Senior lawyer, Femi Falana has faulted the legal advice issued by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of Lagos State on the case of Sylvester Oromoni’s alleged murder.

Falana in a statement on Wednesday said the decision of the DPP which cleared and ordered the release of the suspects is hasty and escapist.

According to him, “the Authorities are aware of the fact that the Chief Coroner of the 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 to January 15, 2022, for further hearing.”

Mr Falana insists that “the report has not laid the allegations surrounding the gruesome murder of Sylvester Oromoni to rest.”

Lagos State Government had earlier on Wednesday cleared five students and five employees of Dowen College accused of complicity in the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni.

The state cleared them as well as the school following the Legal Advice of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Ms. Adetutu Oshinusi.

According to the advice, the interim and final autopsy reports issued by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and toxicology report of post mortem samples and that of the Central Hospital, Warri were in agreement 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 DPP’s legal advice, therefore, concluded that based on these findings, there is no prima facie case of murder, involuntary manslaughter and or malicious administering of poison with intent to harm against the five students, Favour Benjamin aged 16, Micheal Kashamu (15), Edward Begue (16), Ansel Temile (14) and Kenneth Inyang (15).

The state also cleared the minors of belonging to unlawful society due to insufficient facts to establish the offence.

This decision was met with various reactions including that of the family lawyer, Femi Falana.

The Father of the deceased in an interview with Channels TV said contrary to the results conducted by the Lagos State Government, there was another autopsy carried out by the Delta State Police Command which suggested that his late son may have been fed with harmful chemicals.

He, however, insisted he will not give up and that his family will meet with his lawyers on the way forward as regards the case.