The Chief Pathologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUITH), Dr Sunday Soyemi, has told the Coroner Inquest sitting in Epe, Lagos State over the controversial death of Sylvester Oromoni, that a blackish substance was found in the boy’s intestine during autopsy.
Dr Soyemi, who made this disclosure under cross-examination from the lead lawyer to the Oromoni family, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), however, said that no test was carried out to determine what the blackish substance was.
Falana also during the cross-examination, asked the pathologist whether he found a blackish substance in the intestine of the deceased and he answered in the affirmative.
The Senior Advocate further asked if the black substance was sent to a toxicologist but the pathologist replied in the negative.
Falana again asked if the blackish substance should have been taken to a toxicology laboratory in view of the allegation that the boy was poisoned?
The pathologist again replied in the negative. This prompted Falana to ask, “What is the blackish substance?”
Pathologist: It could be anything. It could be faecal stool matter mixed with embalming fluid.
Falana: It could be anything, we don’t know. Yet without conducting a test, you dismissed the conclusion of the pathologist in Warri who came to the conclusion that the deceased died of acute lung injury arising from chemical intoxication?
Pathologist: I took samples of the oesophagus and the stomach to the laboratory and looked at it under the microscope and they were essentially normal.
Falana: What laboratory did you use? LASUITH or one outside?
Pathologist: I didn’t take it to a toxicologist laboratory. LASUITH has no toxicology laboratory.
Falana: LASUITH has no facilities for testing for poison, when such tests are needed, it is sent abroad.
Pathologist: That’s correct.
Toxicology, according to the English dictionary, is the branch of pharmacology that deals with the nature, effect, detection and treatment of poisons and poisoning.
Theideal recalls that Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr), a 12-year-old JSS 2 student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos died on November 30, 2021.
Dowen College had claimed that Sylvester sustained injuries from playing football. But the family said before Sylvester gave up the ghost, he revealed that he was brutalised by bullies and a substance was forced down his throat.
An autopsy conducted by the Consultant Pathologist, Dr. Clement Vhriterhire, at the Central Hospital Warri, concluded that Sylvester died of “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force trauma.”
The student’s corpse was, however, conveyed to Lagos while a fresh autopsy was ordered by the police.
But Sylvester’s murder has sparked a nationwide outrage, forcing the Lagos State Government to shut the school indefinitely. The five accused students were later arrainged before the court but were granted N1million bail each by the court.
The deceased’s father, Sylvester Oromoni (Snr), had alleged that his child was beaten by some senior students of Dowen College and forced to drink a liquid that killed him.
But the school has denied the claim, saying instead that Sylvester (Jnr) sustained injuries while playing football with his mates.
