A prosecution witness, Jubril Yakubu, a social worker, has maintained that Chrisland School failed to comply with the Safety and Child Protection Policy for schools and child-centred institutions in Lagos State.
The third prosecution witness maintained this position in continuation of trial before Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.
On Wednesday, the witness was cross-examined by two out of five defence counsel on his testimony in the ongoing trial of the staff and management of Chrisland School, Opebi, Lagos.
Standing trial are; Ademoye Adewale, (Vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao, the school principal and Victoria Nwatu, the school nurse, over a-two counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless and negligent acts preferred against them by the State.
Lagos State Government charged the five defendants to court over the death of Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old pupil of the school who was said to have died of an alleged Asphyxia and electrocution during the school’s inter-house sports competition held at Agege Stadium on February 9, 2023.
The prosecution witness stated that his evidence did not conflict with the report of the investigations by the Ministry of Youth and Social Development.
The first defence counsel, Ms. Bimpe Ajegbomogun who represented the first defendant, Ademoye Adewale asked him about whose responsibility it is to implement the policy.
The witness responded that the implementation of the policy does not belong to him. Adding, “The implementation of the policy belongs to whole school assessment committee, that is, the ministry of youth and social development, Domestic and Sexual violence Agency and Ministry for Youth and Social Development.
“My duty is based on four principles which are general well-being of children, consultation and transparency, early recognition and intervention.
“My duty here is to identify issues that can bring about harm to children in school and I do not agree that my office and ministry has failed woefully.”
Also, the second defence counsel, Chief Richard Ahonaruogho SAN, who represented the second defendant, Kuku Fatai, cross examined the prosecution witness. The witness said he has told the court the totality of the investigation he did and everything that came to his knowledge was contained in the report.
According to him, Chrisland principal, at the fact-finding meeting held with the school management told the panel that the school has 556 students and that 209 participated for the heat that took place two weeks before the main event.
When asked if his report stated that over 500 students were transported to Agege Stadium, he replied that it was not stated in the report.
He added that the parents of the deceased were not present at the meeting held on February 14, 2023.
Yakubu also informed that the management of the stadium was also not invited to the fact-finding meeting.
The witness confirmed that the dissemination of policy should be done by the staff of the ministry to school but he did not know if there were document to show if it had been disseminated.
Yakubu also told Justice Ogala that it was not indicated in the report that the school did not have child protector officer.
He said: “I visited the parents of the deceased to commiserate with them, but I do not know when the school contacted the parents.
“I do not rely on social media and my conclusion that the school was insensitive was not a lie.
“I would not be surprised that the absence of the deceased from school on January 20, 2023, was due to her being sick because it is not an issue to me.
“I am not a medical practitioner, so I do not know what anxiety panic attack is.”
The witness further said that he did not think the parents of the deceased had a duty to inform the school that the deceased had panic attack.
“The school is the custodian of a child and they should have the bio-data of students.
“The consultant psychologist of the school was not allowed in the meeting because she did not identify herself as part of the school management,” Yakubu said.
Recall that the state government on March 30, 2023, arraigned the Cotton Candy vendor Ademoye Adewale, the school’s instructor Kuku Fatai, the principal of the school Belinda Amao, the school Nurse Victoria Nwatu and Chrisland School Limited, over the death of Whitney.
The defendants were charged to court over a-two counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless and negligent acts preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.
The incident took place at about 1:00p.m, in Agege Sports Stadium, adding that the defendants killed Whitney by acting in a reckless and negligent manner that endangered her life.
According to the charge, the offence committed contravened Sections 224 and 251 of the Criminal Law, Lagos State 2015.
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
The case has been adjourned to March 21 for continuation of trial.
