Oromoni: Pathologist Clarifies Autopsy Result of Septicaemia as Cause of Death

Chiemelie Ezeobi

At the inquest into the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, the Chief Pathologist, Dr. S.S Soyemi, has clarified his autopsy report that cause of death was Septicaemia.

The pathologist said although the cause of death was septicaemia because Lobar Pneumonia caused the Septicaemia.

In the written deposition sworn under oath at the Lagos State Magistrate Court Registry, Ogba Lagos, on January 31, 2022, Dr. Soyemi, who is a Consultant Pathologist of the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja, Lagos, listed out the processes he undertook for the autopsy.

The deposition read thus:”That on the 14th of December 2021, I performed a second post mortem examination on the body of one Oromoni Sylvester at the LASUTH Morgue in the presence of the listed persons on the Post Mortem Report.

“That at the conclusion of the postmortem examination, I issued a post mortem report dated the 31st of December, 2021.

“That attached and marked as Exhibit A to this deposition is a copy of the said postmortem report.

“That I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true in accordance with the Oaths Law currently in force in Lagos State.”

In the cross examination by Femi Falana, SAN, counsel to the Oromoni family, the chief pathologist clarified that he had 14 persons present when he did the post mortem, one of them being Dr. Nwigwe Chikowedili Isabella, who represented one of the accused students- Edward Brown.

He, however, asserted that he never authorised her to reveal “my findings at ARISE TV Station. That is not the practice for pathologists to speak on findings. It is not normal and not usual.

“I was embarrassed when this autopsy was being discussed on the TV because she did not perform the autopsy as she only observed all through and it is not the normal practice”.

On the said day of the autopsy on December 14, 2021, he said he arrived in the hospital before 10.00 am but commenced the autopsy by 5.05 pm, which lasted till 8.25 pm.

However, between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm, he said he held a meeting with the above mentioned number of persons who were present and they discussed the modalities for the exercise.

Clarifying the findings of the autopsy, he said: “I said the deceased died of three main causes of death at page 10. The cause of death I listed is only one. I never listed three causes.

“My cause of death is septicaemia.

Lobar Pneumonia caused the septicaemia. 1A, B & C in my report on page 10 are the international standard and ways of death certification.

“Under opinion as to cause of death 1A, B & C are the three causes of death I stated but I now want to say B & C caused A. The only cause of death is septicaemia and not three.

“In the cause of examination I mentioned sepsis. I never said sepsis can be caused by massage. If there is an injury and it is being massaged repeatedly, it could lead to the removal of the skin.

“I am not aware in the course of my investigation that the ankle injury was subjected to massage at the sickbay of the college.

“In the course of opening the deceased I found black substance in the intestine. I did not send the black substance to the toxicology laboratory to confirm what it is.”

Stating that they have a department of Radiology in LASUTH, but not a department of toxicology he disclosed further that he examined the liver of the deceased and it was enlarged.

“In my report on page 10, I said toxicology samples are no longer available. I dismissed the conclusion of the pathologist that says the deceased died of intoxication of chemical substance.

“On page 11 “commentary” I said the finding in the oesophagus are not compatible with chemical intoxication.

“I took samples from the oesophagus, stomach and intestine, to the lab and look at them under the microscope, they were essentially normal,” he said.

Reiterating that he did not take it to any toxicology laboratory, he noted that “the black substance in the intestine of the deceased should not have been taken to the toxicology laboratory in view of the allegation that the deceased was poisoned.

“The blackish substance could be anything like stool mixed with embalming fluid. LASUTH has no facility for testing poison.”