A third prosecution witness, Doctor Aghogho Owhojedo, the Oromoni’s family doctor, has testified at the coroner’s inquest investigating the controversial death of the Dowen College Student. The doctor, who treated the late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr from Nov 26th when he arrived in Warri till Nov 30th, 2021 when he finally died, testified that he did not see any evidence of physical assault on the deceased.
While answering questions from counsel to one of the accused Dowen College Students, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Godwin Omoaka, the family doctor also told the coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri that Sylvester Oromoni Jnr did not die of blunt force trauma. In the proceedings, which lasted over 7 hours at the Coroners Court sitting in Ikeja, Dr. Owhojedo said he treated the late Sylvester at the Oromoni’s home in Warri because his condition was not life-threatening when he first saw him on the 26th.
“Because you felt his condition was not critical, you disagreed with his father when he requested that you admit the young man to the hospital?” the counsel asked. “No, that is not correct”, replied the doctor. “So why did you not admit him?” the counsel questioned. The deceased father called me and said his son sustained injuries while playing football. The child was given first aid in school at the sick bay and there was no evidence of fracture or dislocation, on his upper or lower limbs.
“His body was very hot as he had a high temperature of 38.7oc. The private ward was not available at that time and since there was no fracture or dislocation, I managed him at home on an ad-hoc basis, a nurse was with him,” the doctor explained.
