A doctor employed at the Dowen College, Mojisola Bisiriyu, told the coroner, Mikhail Kadiri, on Tuesday that the deceased, Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr), complained of hip pain when he presented himself at the sick bay on November 21, 2021.
Her statement in the ongoing inquest to unravel the circumstance regarding Mr Oromoni’s death contradicts the school management’s claim that the deceased had a leg injury from playing football.
The doctor said he was therefore not taken to the partner hospital (Lifeline Children’s Hospital) three minutes away from the school because his case wasn’t an emergency.
Ms Bisiriyu was the eighth witness to testify in the coroner’s inquest set up in December 2021 by the Lagos State government.
She said that she didn’t notice any leg injury and the deceased didn’t complain of a leg injury.
She said she informed the deceased’s mother about the health status of her child and she (Mrs Oromoni) said the guardian would be coming to pick him.
She said before the guardian came to pick the boy, she had administered pain relief and massaged the part he complained about.
She added that the cases taken to their partner hospital are “serious issues that need urgent medical attention.”
She said that she wasn’t aware that the deceased was beaten and asked to describe his sister’s private parts.
She said the school does medical checks for students upon admission.
“Do you know whether he is suffering from any disease?” Femi Falana, the Oromoni’s lawyer, asked.
“None that I’m aware of,” Ms Bisiriyu replied.
She said that she works on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and was not on duty on November 21 (Sunday) when the deceased came to the sick bay.
She added that the deceased was treated by the resident nurse.
“He told you he fell while trying to pick his bible, is that correct?” Mr Falana asked.
The doctor replied in the affirmative.
She also clarified that she treated Mr Oromoni (Jnr) on November 22.
When Mr Falana asked if she was aware that the deceased was “carried” to the car by his guardian on November 23, the doctor said “he was assisted out of the sickbay,” adding that she advised his guardian to take him to the hospital.
When Mr Falana asked if she gave the guardian a referral letter to a hospital, the school lawyer, Anthony Kpokpo, objected.
He said that the issue of a referral note should not arise because the doctor does not work in a hospital.
But Mr Falana repeated the question and the witness said no.
Mr Falana asked why the deceased was not taken to the partner hospital. The doctor said they take their students there in cases of emergency and if the parent made the demand, adding that some parents have specific hospitals that they want their children to be.
Mr Falana asked “that by the doctor’s assessment, does the deceased’s health status warrant you taking him to the hospital?” The doctor said no.
“But it warrant(ed) you asking the parent to take him to the hospital?” Mr Falana asked. Ms Bisiriyu said yes.
“A medical expert informed the coroner that a… dose of antibiotics would have prevented the unfortunate incident? the lawyer asked.
“I cannot answer the question,” the doctor said.
“Are you aware that the deceased was taken home over a twisted tongue in March?” Mr Falana asked.
The doctor said no.
She also said that the deceased’s lips were not scaled at the time he was taken away from the school.
Investigation was not comprehensive – Police
Earlier in the hearing, a police investigator, Bamidele Olusegun, said he questioned four students and they confirmed that the deceased sustained sustaining injuries while playing football and denied that he was forced to ingest a poisonous substance.
Mr Olusegun said that they invited all the deceased’s roommates (seven) but only four showed up, adding that the parents of the others said their wards were going through trauma.
“You have informed the court that you queried four roommates and that the occupants are eight (including the deceased).
“Now you have also informed the court that you interviewed four out of the seven, having not been able to interview the other roommates, your investigation into that allegation is not comprehensive?” The coroner asked.
“It is not my Lord,” the police officer said.
“Did you consider inviting roommates from the adjoining rooms, from the left and the right?” The coroner asked.
Mr Olusegun again said that the wards’ parents didn’t grant the request because they were still traumatised by the death.
The coroner has adjourned the inquest to February 28.
