The last may have not been heard in the cause of death of a student of Dowen College, Sylvester Oromoni, as the result of a medical practictioner, Dr. Clement Vhriterhire, stated the cause of death as: “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force trauma.”
However, the report sighted by CASEFILE disclosed that the result of toxicology screen is being awaited.
Findings in respect of what a blunt force trauma is, according to a General Practitioner, Dr. Qasim Omokanye, “It is a condition not easily discern, even if a patient is physically examined, except he tells you that he has been involved in an accident, it may not been known, even if one witnessed it, it may not been known.”
Explaining further “Compared with a machete cut, it is easily known that there is an injury to the site, that is what we call blunt force trauma.”
He stressed that sometimes a visible injury could also be described as blunt force trauma but not in all cases.
Another medical view of an expert, John Soper, in a research work tilted, ‘Principles of Medical Therapy in Pregnancy, said that in relation to chemical intoxication or poisoning, it refers to a multitude of illnesses caused by the absorption of toxic chemical agents.
“Poisonings may be acute, subacute, or chronic and may be the result of accidental or intentional administration. Toxic chemicals may be absorbed by ingestion, injection, inhalation, or direct contact with the skin.
Recall that there had been some back and forth on the cause of Oromoni’s death as varied views that the 12-year-old boy had died from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of the school for allegedly refusing to join them in a cult.
Sylvester Oromoni had died on November 30, 2021, after efforts to save his life.
The deceased’s father had claimed that his son was beaten and fed a liquid chemical but Dowen College dismissed the claim.
The school also had claimed that the boy sustained injuries while playing football with his colleagues.
There are indications that the Lagos State Police Command had released the housemaster and other staff of Dowen College, Lekki arrested in connection with Oromoni’s death.
The outgoing Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, said the housemasters were released since the court order to remand them had expired.
Odumosu disclosed that the police had concluded their investigations and forwarded its report to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and had received a response from the DPP.
He opined, “Since the medical report has not indicted them so far, I think there is a need for them to have their freedom because bail is not the end of the case.”
In contrast, Sylvester’s father said that it was wrong for the d Police to have released the Dowen College workers when things had not reached a logical conclusion.
Mr. Oromoni challenged Odumosu to make the autopsy report public.
Sylvester’s father said, “The Police have misled the Nigerian public and we are not comfortable with this. The police acted hurriedly. We sent the corpse to Lagos but why are they waiting for the toxicology report from Delta? Can’t they do it together with the autopsy they are conducting?”
