Admin I Thursday, March 14, 2024
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The trial of Chrisland School in the murder of Whitney Adeniran continued at a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Wednesday with the 3rd witness, Yakubu Abisogun taking the witness stand.
Whitney, a 12 year old student of the school died in mysterious circumstances, allegedly of electrocution on February 9, 2023, during an Inter-house sports competition at Agege Stadium, Lagos State.
Abisogun informed the court that there was no mention of electrocution in the report during his cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, Bimpe Ajegbomogun. According to him, Michael Adeniran, father of the deceased, was the first person to say that his daughter, Whitney, died from electrocution at the stadium.
The counsel to the first defendant also probed the witness on Child Protection Policy of Lagos State which was tendered in court.
She asked Yakubu, “Who is responsible for monitoring compliance, to which he said pointed to the Ministry of Youth and Social Development.
Ajegbomogun told the witness that based on his answer, the Safeguarding and Child Protection Alliance Group (SCPAG) involved in fact-finding mission and the Ministry of Youth and Social Development failed to carry out their respective duties.
Counsel to the second defendant, Richard Ahonaruogho, SAN, followed up in the cross-examination of Abisogun and pointed out to the witness that the fact-finding mission report did not mention anything about Agege Stadium and that the committee did not invite the stadium officials.
Ahonaruogho also told the witness that the report did not state that there was an absence of a designated child protection officer which, according to him, was meant to be provided by Chrisland School.
The counsel to the second defendant told the witness that Chrisland School’ s Consultant Child Psychologist, who was also in charge of safety, was exempted from the fact-finding meeting because she was not a member of the school’s management and staff.
He queried Abisogun on the fact that the first defendant, Adewale Ademoye who is the Cotton candy vendor at the Agege Stadium, was also exempted from the fact-finding meeting, as well as the parents of the deceased.
Ahonaruogho told the court that the witness did not present any document or evidence to show that the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy has been disseminated to all of the over 1,722 secondary schools (public and private) in the State.
He told the court that Abisogun’s report on the last adjourned date where he stated that Chrisland School was insensitive to the situation of the deceased was false.
Ahonaruogho brought out the medical report that showed how the school’s nurse attended to the late Whitney at the Agege Stadium to back up his claim. Justice Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the matter to March 21 for continuation of trial.
