Dowen College: Late Sylvester Oromoni’s Family Kicks Against N1million Bail Granted To Suspects

Obiajulu Joel Nwolu

The family of late Sylvester Oromoni, Jnr, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lagos State, who was allegedly murdered, has faulted the bail granted to the suspects by a Magistrate’s court in Yaba.

On Tuesday, the Magistrate court granted bail to five students of Dowen College charged with the alleged murder of Oromoni.

The students were admitted to bail in the sum of N1million each. The suspects had been charged with conspiracy and homicide by the police.

The Chief Magistrate, Olatunbosun Adeola, after hearing the bail application filed by the counsel for the defendants, ordered the defendants to produce two sureties each in like sum.

According to Daily Sun, reacting, the father of the slain student, Sylvester Oromoni queried the court’s decision wondering the rationale behind the bail when the 21 days requested by the police for investigation was yet to elapse.

The bereaved said releasing the suspects might hinder the investigation, noting that while the family was not against granting the bail, the court should have waited at least for the 21 days to elapse.

Read Also: Dowen College: Family Demands Coroner Inquest Into Son’s Death

“Yesterday I was called that those boys were granted bail by a Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos. I said, “why?” I now called the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and he told me; I was not aware, and that they were not done with the investigation.

Dowen-College

“I called the DCP in charge of the case who later confirmed to me that the story is true.

“But it was a surprise to me that the same judge gave them 21 days which expires on the 28 of this month when the police requested for the remand order. The court granted 21 days to keep those boys.

“And the 21 days have not expired, and the court granted them bail. I am calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Lagos State Government and the Inspector General of Police to please take note.

“Secondly, the police said they are not done with the investigation, that granting the boys bail will not help their investigation, they are getting more facts.

“And they were even planning that after the 21 days if they are not done with their investigation, they will ask for an extension. I am surprised that the court granted them bail when the date given has not elapsed.

“I am not a lawyer but what the family is saying is that they should allow the police to conclude their investigation. I am not saying that they should not be granted bail but it is the court that gave the police 21 days,” he said.

The defendants were on December 9 remanded in a juvenile home over the death of Sylvester, who was allegedly bullied in school for refusing to join a cult.

He later died from injuries sustained from the alleged attack and ingestion of an unknown substance.

The police last week released the corpse of Sylvester to his family for burial.

This was after an autopsy was conducted to ascertain the cause of his death.

Source: SaharaReporters

This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

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