A Medical Doctor, Aghogho Owhojede, has said that the late Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos State, was not taken to a hospital for treatment when he got injured.
Owhojede, who has been the Oromoni family doctor for 15 years, testified before an Ikeja Coroner’s Court in Ikeja on Tuesday.
The inquest is seeking to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the student.
The student died on November 30, 2021.
Owhojede was questioned during Tuesday’s proceedings for over seven hours (9:30am to 5:15pm) by counsel to Dowen College, two accused students of the school, Lagos State Government and Nigerian Bar Association.
During proceedings, the medical doctor said that he treated the late Oromoni for acute malaria at the family home in Warri, Delta State from November 26 to 30, 2021.
Answering questions from Akin George, counsel to the Lagos State Government, Owhojede said that he attended the same church, God’s Grace Ministry International Church, with the Oromoni family.
The Doctor told the court that ailing Oromoni was taken to church for prayers for an unspecified number of days by his family.
George asked: “What was your response to the treatment at a church as opposed to a proper medical facility?”
The Doctor replied: “I am aware that the church is not a treatment centre.
“I am not against prayer.
“I will prefer a combination of both prayer and medical treatment.”
The doctor said that on the day Oromoni died, he had referred him to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara for further treatment.
He said that the late Oromoni could not be taken to the teaching hospital because his condition deteriorated and he passed away.
George asked: “Which hospital was he ever taken to before he died?”
“He was treated at home,” the doctor responded.
George further asked: “Can you confirm that the deceased was not taken to any hospital for treatment?”
“No, he wasn’t, my lord,” Owhojede said.
The Coroner, Mikhail Kadiri, adjourned proceedings until February 7 for continuation of hearing.
NAN reports that it was alleged that the 12-year-old Oromoni died on November 30, 2021 from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College for allegedly refusing to join a cult.
It was also alleged that he was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.
Advice by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution, which was released on January 4, however, disputed the allegations.
According to the advice, two separate autopsies revealed Oromoni’s cause of death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.
