He said Whitney did not die as a result of electrocution as stated in the autopsy report.

Adewale, who said he makes Shawarma, Candy Floss, Popcorn, and Barbecue on request, stated this before Magistrate Olanike Fajana, at the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ogba.

The state government had stated that the post-mortem report revealed that Whitney died of Asphyxia and electrocution.

The report dated March 1, 2023, was issued by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

The 12-year-old pupil reportedly slumped and died during the school’s inter-house sports at the Agege Stadium, on February 9.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, Adewale told the coroner that on the day of the incident, the school management had stopped him from producing Shawarma and Candy Floss under the pool.

The witness, who was cross-examined by the deceased’s family lawyer, Mr Femi Falana SAN, said he was an independent vendor of the Agege Stadium where he registered to be able to conduct his business.

Adewale told Magistrate Fajana that he registered his business in February 2013 and that he was always at the Stadium and when Chrisland School came to inspect the stadium they saw him and liked him.

Adewale explained that in all the events he had sold snacks, he had never experienced electrocution with his machine.

He said he did not see the deceased when she slumped but he saw pupils and teachers surrounding the pupil on the ground.

“When I went to check what was happening, I saw teachers and pupils surrounding her and I asked what happened, they said she slumped,” he explained.

He added, “To the best of my observation, the deceased did not die of electrocution. There was no naked wire, the autopsy was erroneous and from where the deceased was, it was 5cm from where my machine was and it was unplugged.

“I don’t know if the deceased died of electrocution. Other organisations have conducted tests and there was nothing like electrocution”.

The case was further adjourned till May 22, for continuation of hearing.

The State Commissioner for Education Mrs.Folasade Adefisayo disclosed this on Tuesday while giving an update on the recent meeting between the management of Chrisland Schools and government agencies under the Lagos State Joint Task Force in charge of the implementation of the child protection and safeguarding policy.

The meeting, which was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State Safety Commission and Office of Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and others which made up the Joint Task Force, directed Chrisland to delineate leadership functions as well as strengthen risk and safety management in all schools under its jurisdiction.

Also, the Lagos State Ministry of Education has directed the management of Chrisland Schools to urgently implement short and long-term reforms in school governance,

Furthermore, the school management has been directed to recruit a certified Risk Manager to conduct and render a detailed analysis of risk management of the group of schools and ensure all students, staff and stakeholders of the school affected by the death of the late Miss. Adeniran are given psycho-social therapy and trauma counseling.

Adefisayo said, “The stipulated conditions are outcomes of official investigations and reviews by all the agencies that form the Task Force and an example of the usual conditions precedent to reopening schools closed for any form of infraction in Lagos State”.

The Managing Director of Chrisland Schools, Mrs. Ibironke Adeyemi, who led Chrisland School management to the meeting, promised that the school will fulfill all requirements as directed by the Ministry.

The Lagos State Government charged Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao, and Nwatu  Victoria with involuntary manslaughter and reckless negligent acts.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Oyindamola Ogala admitted the defendants’ bail after defence counsel moved the motion for bail dated  March 28 and March 29 respectively.

There were no objections from the prosecution, led by the Lagos State Attoney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN.

Ogala admitted the first and second defendants to N10 million bail each  with two sureties each in like sum

She also admitted the third and the fourth defendants to N20 million bail each with two sureties each in like sum.

The judge said all the sureties must be gainfully employed, have credible and verified evidence of their financial status and reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

“All the sureties must have two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government and must submit their international passports with the Chief registrar of the state high court,” Ogala said.

The court, however, ordered the defence counsel to write an undertaken for the defendants to be released to them before the perfection of their bail.

The defence counsels were Mrs Bimpe Ajegbomojon (first defendant),  Richard Ahonarougho SAN second defendant), Olukayode Enitan, SAN, ( third defendant),  Ademola Animashaun (fourth defendant)  and Mr Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, (fifth defendant) while Mr Oluwatodimu Ige held brief for the family of the deceased.

The five defence counsels urged the court to grant bail to the defendants on self-recognisance.

NAN reports that according to the charge information signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr  Babajide Martins, on March 24, the defendants allegedly committed the offence on  February 9, about 1. 00 p.m. in Agege Sports Stadium, Agege, Lagos.

The prosecution said that the defendants negligently killed Adeniran by not ensuring her safety.

The state also submitted that the defendants acted recklessly and negligently that endangered human life.

Onigbanjo, while arraigning the defendants, informed the court that the state would be presenting 17 witnesses against the defendants.

“We shall be praying for a date to open trial,” he said.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence contravened Sections 224 and 251 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Ogala subsequently adjourned the case until May 25 for the commencement of trial.

They were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Ikeja High Court.

The employees, Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao, and Nwatu Ugochi Victoria, were charged with manslaughter and negligent actions on two counts, according to NAN.

However, after hearing the charge stated to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty.

InsideOjodu recalls that Adeniran slumped on February 9, 2023, during an inter-house sports activity by the school at the Agege Sports Stadium.

Recall that her death occurred amid the school’s inter-house sports activities on Thursday, February 9 at the Agege Stadium.

In a statement by the Director, Public Affairs of the ministry, Alo Grace, on Saturday, it read, “Adeniran’s death was as a result of asphyxia and electrocution, as indicated by an autopsy conducted by Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

“The Lagos State Ministry of Justice is aware of the current ongoing dialogue about the alleged plans to exhume the body of the late Whitney Omodesola Adeniran, a student of Chrisland Schools whose death as revealed by the autopsy, conducted by Lagos State University Teaching Hospital was as a result of asphyxia and electrocution,” the statement reads in part.

Whilst we have not received any such official communication requesting for exhumation, however, if and when we do receive such a request, we shall be opposed to it.

“In any event, the circumstances for exhumation under the Coroners’ Systems Law, 2015 do not arise in this case. Additionally, it is not our intention to further traumatise the deceased’s family.”

Meanwhile, the ministry noted that it was working closely with the police who had reportedly given their reassurance that the duplicate case file would be forwarded on Monday, March 6, 2023, to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions to aid the speedy issuance of legal advice.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), noted that a thorough investigation would be carried out to ascertain Whitney’s cause of death.

“A Coroner’s Inquest has immediately been requested in line with Sections 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of death.

“By Section 14(1) (d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the State, report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the report of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was violent, unnatural or suspicious. Section 15(1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death,” Onigbanjo said.

Onigbanjo explained that as a government, the security and well-being of citizens were of utmost importance, as he assured the public that everything would be done to ensure that the cause of death was made public.

“The findings of this investigation will be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable,” he added.

there was a mild drama on Monday when some persons believed to be relations of the late student staged a demonstration around the premises of the school.

The protesters were heard complaining that a section of the school was opened and demanded that the whole school be shut down.

Policemen were also sighted close to the entrance of the school.