Dowen College vs Sylvester Oromoni: Brief Report Of Court Proceedings

January 27, 2021, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri (Coroner) presided over the Sylvester Oromoni vs Dowen College case in Epe, Lagos State. The sitting attracted a very large crowd of mainly Ijaw youths and elders from Lagos and Epe among other spectators. The Courtroom was filled to the brim. Lawyers representing Oromoni family, Dowen College, Lagos State Government, Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Rights Organizations and other lawyers representing some students accused of torturing Sylvester Oromoni jnr were also present. Outside the Court were policemen with patrol vehicles. Conspicuously parked opposite the Court premises was a mini bus belonging to Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) with our youths hovering around. With the visible presence of Ijaw youths, more Police reinforcement arrived and cordoned off the Court premises situated near Epe river. Midway to the proceedings which centered around accreditation of lawyers, in our full view, a man rushed in and whispered to the judge. Without any word, the judge got up and retreated to his Chamber. We later learnt that there was rumor of Ijaw people were coming to attack the Court from Epe river! As more police were drafted to beef up security, the judge returned to his seat and announced adjournment. Early morning on the next adjourned date as Ijaw youths and elders prepared to move to Epe, information filtered in that the Court has moved from Epe to Ikeja GRA for security reasons. Swiftly our people moved to Ikeja to witness what was going on. After few sittings with increased number of people trooping into the Court with the press in attendance, the venue was again changed to Legacy Building Court premises in Ogba, Ikeja, Largos with same judge Mikhail Kadiri presiding. Court 20 on the second floor was allocated to him. With the movement from Epe to Lagos we started to notice some curious reasons for adjournment like;
1. After all parties were seated in Court, the Registrar walks in to announce that Court won’t sit because his lordship is off to attend a meeting.
2. A day to the next sitting, Registrar sends text message to all parties that due to a Presidential visit to Lagos which could impede vehicular movement around Ikeja axis, Court would not sit. On that particular day, I didn’t get the registrar’s message on time and breezed into an empty Courtroom. I met an Admin staff and asked: “Where are my people? “No sitting today” he told me. Guess what? There was no road closure.
3. All parties seated as usual with our brother Sylvester flying in from Warri, judge walks in to announce he’s not feeling fine so could not sit. What do we do than console one another and disperse.
Oromoni at the last aborted Court date told me his journey to Lagos marked the 93rd air trip to/fro Delta State where he resides. One can imagine how much our brother has spent in view of the fact that he apparently maintains a permanent suite in a high brow hotel in GRA Ikeja.
During this epic trial, there had been some tense moments. One of such moment was when Oromoni yelled at a Counsel who accused him of been emotional. The judge calmed the situation and told Oromoni that though the Court is sympathetic to his plight nevertheless he has powers to sanction him. No sentiment in Court he said with all seriousness. Oromoni’s lawyer Andrew Efole fired back that as a father, Oromoni’s being emotional was in order.
All crown witnesses including Dowen College principal, doctors, Police, nurses, house master, students etcetera have testified. Oromoni himself in his evidence in chief tendered 11 exhibits including newspaper and television interview clips. Before the Coroner went on the last break without fixing another sitting date, the Court and lawyers from both parties agreed to visit the locus in quo. Locus in quo in legal parlance means “Place where the incident took place” (the school ) in this case.