The medical practitioner, Dr. Owhojede Henry Aghogho who is the Oromonis’ family doctor, has said that the late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr. was rushed to his hospital ‘Dead on Arrival’.
He emphatically disclosed this when he took the witness stand at the coroner inquest sitting in Ikeja, on Tuesday.
Dr. Owhojede gave evidence before the Coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri saddled with the assignment to unravel the circumstances leading to the death of late Sylvester.
During cross-examination of his evidence by Anthony Okpoko, counsel to Dowen College and Godwin Omoaka, SAN, who represented one of the five students said to have assaulted late Sylvester, the doctor said he managed his patient’s health in his father’s home throughout November 26 to 29, 2021 because his hospital could not provide a private ward for him as requested by the deceased’s father.
He told the Coroner that he started attending to late Sylvester on November 26, 2021, when he was brought from Lagos to Warri.
He said the father of the deceased called him on phone that his son was brought from Lagos and said that he sustained injury while playing football in school, at Dowen College.
Under cross examination by Akin George, a counsel of Lagos State, Dr. Owhojede said that the deceased was not treated at any hospital after his arrival in Warri.
Dr. Owhojede who has been the family’s doctor for 15 years confirmed that he treated the deceased at home from November 26 before he died.
The third witness also confirmed that at a time, the deceased was taken to church for prayers.
Queried by the state counsel why he did not advice parents of the deceased against taking him to church, he said he is not against prayer but rather prefers combination of prayer and hospital.
He said on November 30, 2021, his family decided to take him to Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DSUTH, Oghara, before his health deteriorated.
Dr. Owhojede said he was in the family house on November 30 to give them referral letter and an ambulance to convey the deceased to DSUTH and that he left behind a nurse before going back to his hospital.
He said few minutes after arriving his hospital, they called and informed him that his condition had deteriorated.
“So, I told them to bring him to my clinic because it was close to their house.
“He was rushed to the clinic at about 10:00am. Because of much wailing and sadness, I did not issue a death certificate.”
He however said Sylvester was brought in “Dead on Arrival” around 10.00 a.m.
When asked to read his clinical note, he said on November 26, 2021, the temperature of the deceased was high and that this called for urgent medical attention.
He however said he did not write report of late Sylvester health on November 27, 2021.
He said: “As at November 26, 2021, I ran some laboratory tests on his blood. I checked his packed-cell volume, PCV. The white blood cell was 6,800. On November 27, I did not check his PCV. I did not do random blood sugar. On November 28, 2021 the deceased feels better, his temperature value was in my clinic note.
“I did not check his sugar level. He is on a febrile touch. His PCV was 34 per cent on November 26 and by the 30th of November, his PCV was 21 per cent. On November 26, his white blood cell was 6,800 but it was 17,500, which is called Leukocytosis. Which simplify that the immune system is compromised. Leukocytosis is one of the main cause.”
The witness also said that, it is not correct to say that, as at the time he manage the patient, his blood sugar was 107 by November 30, and that ‘it has crashed to 54.”
Then the school lawyer tendered the laboratory result which was admitted as exhibit.
Under cross-examination by Mr Omoaka, SAN, representing one of the student alleged to have tortured the deceased, the medical practitioner said he did not know the interval he visited the deceased but he went to their house several time.
“When he was brought from school, X-ray was done and no evidence of fraction or dislocation of upper or lower limbs. His body was very hot (high temperature).
He added, “Since there was no fraction or dislocation, I managed him at home on ad-hoc basis, and there was a nurse with him.
“As at November 26, the boy had hepatomegaly which is enlarged liver. This is not a disease. This can be caused by hepatitis. There was no evidence of assault on his body. But trauma or beating can cause Epatomegaly. Blunt force trauma could be the cause. It is not correct as penetrating injury. There was no injury to cause any enlarge liver.”
When Bernard Oniga, counsel holding brief for the Nigerian Bar Association asked that if in his opinion, he discharged full and acceptable level of care, due diligence and professsionalism in the treatment of the deceased taking into consideration the escalation of the white blood cells from 6,800 to 17,500; the PCV dropping from 34 per cent to 21 percent and the blood sugar crashing from 107 to 54, all within his care, the doctor replied in the affirmative.
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