The father of late Sylvester Oromoni has told the court that his son was not treated at a hospital.
He made made the revelation during cross-examination by Godwin Omoaka (SAN), counsel to one of the accused students, before an Ikeja Corona’s inquest.
Oromoni Snr said that his son was treated at home in Warri, Delta after their family doctor, Aghogho Owhojede, said there was no private ward available in his hospital.
He added that late Sylvester’s guardian, Clifford Tejere, did not notice any sign of beating on the body of the deceased, adding that no swollen spot was noticed on the ankle of the deceased.
The school had alleged that he sustained a football injury.
According to Oromoni, a full-body x-ray was not conducted by the family when he came home from school.
He said, “There was an x-ray conducted on the part the school wanted us to do, which was the legs down. He was taken to a diagnostic centre.”
Oromoni added, “On Nov. 26, 27 and 28 2021, he was treated in my house on doctor’s directives.
On Nov. 29, he was taken to St Louis Laboratory for a scan. We were referred by the doctor to go there.
“I was not there on that day because I had rushed to my house in Asaba, Delta to pick up something and I came back the next morning, which is Nov. 30, 2021.”
“He died on Nov. 30, 2021; I was already in Warri when he died. I was in the hospital when the doctor confirmed to us that he did not make it,” he said.
The witness further revealed that after Oromoni Jnr was confirmed dead, the family wanted to bury him immediately.
From the clinic, they were taking him for burial. I called them and they brought him back in the Hilux that they were using to convey him and they parked in front of my gate.
“The police came and took pictures and videos of the body and after that, they asked me to take him to the mortuary and not bury him,” he said.
Omoaka following the statement of Oromoni called for the interviews of the witness granted to the press to be played at the inquest.
The witness in the video alleged that his son was dragged, severely beaten, his stomach stumped upon by some senior students of the school.
Oromoni while replying to questions said he had never been to his son’s hostel at Dowen College.
He, however, accepted that other students would have heard his son cry out if he was being beaten by alleged bullies.
Further hearing and cross-examination was adjourned till today, February 15 by Justice Mikhail Kadiri.