… Police begin probe
THE late student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, will not be buried until justice is served, his father, Sylvester Oromoni, has said.
Oromoni Jnr’s death caused outrage among the populace after his family said he was attacked by senior students of Dowen College for refusing to join a cult, an allegation the school denies amid police investigation.
The Oromoni family gathered yesterday and celebrated the deceased’s 12th birthday. A cake designed as airplane and pilot uniform was cut in memory of his ambition.
“How can he be buried? I cannot bury him until I get justice, until I get to the end of the matter. Even if it takes two or three years, we would be going on. I pray God keep us alive,” Oromoni told PUNCH.
The distraught father said about 100 people were present at the posthumous birthday celebration marked with two cakes and a large picture frame of the late boy in various poses.
He said, “For his birthday today (Saturday), we cut the cakes, displayed his pictures and prayed for his soul to rest in peace. We also went for a church programme after cutting the birthday cakes.
“His sister based in the United State of America asked one of her friends to bake a pilot-themed cake for his birthday because he had always wanted to be a pilot.”
Oromoni added that he would miss his son’s rapport, smiles, love, presence and company.
MEANWHILE, the Police said no formal report has been made about Sylvester’s death.
TheCable had reported that it learnt the family petitioned the Lagos commissioner of police Hakeem Odumosu on December 2 over the incident and is planning to also write the inspector-general of police (IGP) on December 6 for a full-scale probe.
However, spokesman of the police in Lagos Adekunle Ajisebutu said in a statement that Odumosu acted on hearing the news.
He said, “The Command wishes to inform the public that, although no formal report of the incident was made to the police, the Commissioner of Police, upon hearing about it instantly directed the Divisional Police Officer, Maroko Division under whose jurisdiction the place of incident is to immediately visit the school to carry out initial investigation into the incident.
“This directive has been carried out as investigation into the case has since commenced. However, in view of the seriousness of the case, the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, has also been directed to take over investigation of the case immediately.
“Members of the public, particularly the deceased’s bereaved parents, friends and relatives, are assured that the Lagos State Police Command has deployed all available human and material resources at its disposal to unravel the circumstances surrounding the sad and unfortunate incident.”
Ajisebutu said that in the course of investigation, members of the public should refrain from taking the law into their own hands and also avoid comments that could jeopardise investigation.
He added that Odumosu, while commiserating with the bereaved family, also assured that the outcome of police investigation would be made public in due course.
