On Tuesday, the Magistrate court granted N1 million bail to five students of Dowen College charged with the alleged murder of Oromoni. 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.
Following this development, the family of late Sylvester Oromoni, Jnr, the 12-year-old student of Dowen College, who was allegedly tortured by his seniors before his death, has kicked against the bail granted by a Magistrate’s court in Yaba to the five students of the school.
The father of the deceased student, Mr. Sylvester Oromoni Snr, reacted to this development wondering the motive behind the bail when the 21 days requested by the police for investigation were yet to elapse.
“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; He was not aware, and that they were not done with the investigation.
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 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 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.