An Ikeja Coroner’s Court on Monday barred journalists and other members of the public from proceedings unravelling the circumstances surrounding the death of a student of Dowen College, Sylvester Oromoni.
The coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, took the action as the deceased’s sister, a minor, was slated to testify.
The minor came with her father, Sylvester Oromoni (Snr), who was also slated to testify.
Invoking Section 191 of the Child Rights Law of Lagos State, the coroner said: “Proceedings will be held privately. Members of the press and the general public are hereby excused.”
Earlier, when the minor entered the witness box, counsel to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bernard Oniga, requested that the press and others members of the public leave the court.
He said, “Your honour, I will like to bring to your attention Section 191 of the Child Rights Law of Lagos State, which pertains to the protection of the privacy of a child during proceedings.
“A minor needs to be protected from undue publicity or the process of labelling as well information that may lead to identification.
“This matter has been highly sensationalised. Any minor that so wishes to appear before it must be accorded some level of privacy because she still has a future ahead.”
Godwin Omoaka (SAN), counsel to one of the accused students of Dowen College, agreed with Oniga’s submission.
Oromoni died on November 30, 2021, following alleged attack by five senior students of Dowen College for refusing to join a cult.
It was also alleged that he was forced to drink a poisonous substance by his attackers.
However, Lagos State director of public prosecutions said two autopsies revealed the student’s cause of death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.
