The Lagos State Government has disclosed that a case of involuntary manslaughter in addition to reckless and negligent acts had been established against Chrisland School, some members of staff and one of the vendors in the death of a student, Whitney Adeniran.
The disclosure was made on Friday in a statement by the Office of the Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, saying that the suspects would be charged with the offences contrary to Sections 224 and 251 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
“The case was referred to the Nigerian Police Force which carried out thorough investigation with the help of other agencies,” the statement read in part
“The file was subsequently forwarded to the DPP’s Office on Monday 20th March, 2023 for review of the duplicate case file. On the 23rd of March, 2023, the DPP issued his Legal Advice and came to the conclusion that a prima facie case of Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless and Negligent Acts had been established against the School, some members of Staff and one of the Vendors.
“They will therefore be charged with the offences of Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless and Negligent Acts contrary to Sections 224 & 251of the Criminal Law, Ch C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
“Information will be filed in accordance with the legal advice issued by the DPP. Certified True Copies of the Legal advice is available on the Ministry of Justice.”
Adeniran, 12, was said to have slumped during her school’s inter-house sport organised by the School at the Agege Sports Stadium on the 9th of February, 2023.
She was subsequently rushed to Agege Central Hospital, Agege, Lagos, where she was confirmed “brought in dead” (BID) by the doctor on duty.
After an autopsy, it was revealed that the 12-year-old died from Asphyxia and electrocution.
Following the controversial circumstance surrounding the student’s death, the state government through the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, ordered a coroner’s inquest into the matter to ascertain the cause of death