There was drama on Tuesday during a sitting held in the Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos State as human rights’ lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), the counsel to the late Sylvester Oromoni’s family, and Mikhail Kadiri, the magistrate conducting a coroner’s inquest, had a heated exchange.
This is even as the magistrate was about to let Babajide Martins, the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), ask a witness questions pertaining to a report that had not been tendered before a court or served on all parties, FIJ reports.
Martins had conducted an examination-in-chief on Sunday Soyemi, the Chief Pathologist of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), who carried out a second autopsy on late Sylvester.
Objecting to questions Martins asked concerning the first autopsy conducted, Falana said the court could not allow it as the report was not before the court.
Reacting, Kadiri said, “This is not a regular court.”
“You say this at your convenience,” Falana talked back, and then a heated exchange reportedly ensued between the duo.
Kadiri retorted, “If you have a problem with me personally sitting on this inquest, the avenues are there. If you are not satisfied with me personally handling this inquest, the avenues are there. I fear nobody; I owe my duty to God. Learned silk is saying; I do that at my convenience. Take that back.”
Falana maintained his position, however, “He is speaking on a report that has not been served on us; I have not been served.”
Kadiri told him that if he needed time to review documents, he would grant him that time.
Falana responded, “Your lordship, if I have created the impression that I question your integrity, I take it back.”
Kadiri apologised for raising his voice and returned to the examination.
Sylvester’s died under controversial circumstances in November 2021 and his death went viral following a social media post by his cousin, Perry Oromoni, who alleged that some senior pupils of the school beat him up in his hostel because he refused to join a cult.
But the school denied the claim, stating that the boy complained of leg pains following an injury he sustained while playing football.
The state government ordered the indefinite closure of the school pending the outcome of an investigation into the matter.
However, legal advice by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Adetutu Oshinusi, cleared the suspects.
