Sylvester Oromoni: Blame the legal system, not Police on suspects’ release – Umegboro

The discharge of the accused persons held in connection with the death of a 9-year old student of Dowen College in Lagos, Master Sylvester Oromoni is in tandem with the legal system, and therefore not the fault of the Police, a public affairs analyst, Mr. Carl Umegboro stated this in a statement on Sunday.

Umegboro who is also an associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators explained that though the eye witnesses’ accounts suggest that the young student was extremely, pitilessly bullied and tortured which possibly led or contributed to his death, however, the murder charge which the accused persons were held compulsorily demands an autopsy report to establish the crimes against them. Possibly, the deceased had ailments that already overwhelmed his system prior to the alleged torture.

He said that autopsy report is a superior evidence which cannot be overshadowed by eye witnesses’ accounts in any murder case considering that humans are unpredictable.

“Reasonably, by the eyewitnesses’ accounts, the accused persons should be held over the death of the deceased student. Unfortunately, murder is a crime, and all crimes must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. And to prove an alleged murder beyond reasonable doubt, autopsy is principal. So, this is where the Police hands are tied.

“As the scientific investigation (autopsy) has failed to sustain the charges, there is no basis for the Police to proceed with the case. In any murder case, autopsy has a superior place. Without the result in the file, the murder case will fail. It is therefore important that the people understand why the Police was bold to take the position after all the accounts on how the boy was allegedly tortured to death.

“Without the autopsy result first establishing that the death was unnatural, there’s nothing to do with all the eyewitnesses’ accounts because you cannot build something on nothing. So, it is the statutory procedure as far as the legal system is concerned. Thus, people don’t have to attack the Police or the state government.

“Autopsy was used in America despite overwhelming videos that showed how a cop in the Minneapolis Police, Derek Chauvin tortured George Floyd  to death.

“Now, it is at the discretion of the bereaved family to recommend another hospital if in doubt. So, the Police action is in the family’s interest so that if they suspect any foul play in the autopsy result, they can bring the hospital of their choice.

“Legal system has its way of operation. It is not a room and parlor affair. Yes, inside the room and parlor, the stories pointed to brutal death through bullying, but scientific research has said otherwise. This is the English legal system and different from morals. Nonetheless, I deeply commiserate with the bereaved family”, Umegboro stated. 

Umegboro also said he believes that the autopsy results were not manipulated, and therefore will not change from the results obtained already because there’s no sign of flaws or conspiracy anywhere.

However, the analyst urged the state government and Police to adopt ADR for peace, and to make the accused families show empathy to the bereaved family on account of the eyewitnesses accounts adding that the legal system cannot resolve the issues justly and satisfactorily. END