Dowen Doctor Testifies, Says Sylvester Oromoni’s Case Was Not Considered An Emergency

Almost 3 months after his heartwrenching demise, the case of the 12-year-old Dowen college student, Sylvester Oromoni continues to unfold.
An official medical doctor, employed by Dowen College, Lagos, Mojisola Bisiriyu has on Tuesday, February 22, testified that the late Sylvester Oromoni complained of a hip and not leg injury when he presented himself at the school’s sickbay on November 21, 2021.

As per reports by Channels TV, the doctor was testifying as the 8th witness in the coroner’s inquest to untangle the circumstances surrounding the controversial demise of the 12-year-old student, who died on the 30th of November, 2022.

You will recall that the deceased’s father had alleged that his child was beaten by some senior students. Unfortunately, the school denied the claim, arguing that he suffered an injury while playing football with his mates.

Testifying before Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, while answering questions from counsel to the Oromoni family, Femi Falana, doctor Mojisola said that she didn’t notice any visible leg injury and the deceased didn’t complain of any.

In his words; As the school Doctor, my duty is to take care of students in the school and for whatever we see that demands attention, we usually call the parents.

I saw the deceased on November 22, 2021, he came in with pain on his right side and that was what I saw him for. He came in with a limp and no other complaints.

I spoke with the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Oromoni about his health status and she said his guardian will be coming to pick him up the next day. I didn’t refer him to our partner hospital, Lifeline Children’s Hospital in Lekki because his case was not considered an emergency.

He told me he fell down while trying to pick his Bible and it was an injury to his hip. It was after much cajoling that he said he played football. We applied pain relief and massaged the part he complained about.”

The doctor who said she works on weekdays from 8 am to 3 pm also clarified that when her shift was over, the student was treated by the resident nurse, Omobola Kayode.

The coroner has adjourned further proceedings till February 28.