Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on Thursday, began hearing on a two-count charge of involuntary manslaughter, and acting in a reckless and negligent manner that endangered her life, against Chrisland School Limited, and some of its staff members over the death of a 12-year-old student, Whitney Omodesola Adeniran, who died during the school’s inter-house sport on the 9th of February, 2023.
The school and officials including the Principal, Belinda Amao, the Vice Principal, Nwatu Victoria, and a teacher in the school, Kuku Fataiare, are being prosecuted at the behest of the Lagos State Government, which instituted the suit alongside Ademoye Adewale, a vendor at the Agege Stadium, where the incident happened.
The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Lagos, Moyosore Onigbanjo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). who led the prosecution on behalf of the State Government told the court that the state had filed two count counts against the defendants. He asked the court to allow them to take their plea.
But the defendants, all pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the principal wept loudly in the dock, as Onibanjo, who informed the court that the state had lined up 17 witnesses to testify in the matter, asked the court for a date to enable the prosecution open trial.
The defence team on its part, while informing the court that they had pending applications seeking the bail of all the defendants, subsequently took turns to move their bail applications to which the prosecution did not oppose, though he urged the court not to grant bail on self recognizance and to ensure to grant conditions that would guarantee that the defendants show up for their trial.
Ogala after a short time to write her ruling, granted the principal vice principal teacher bail in the sum of N20m each with two sureties in the sum of N10m each, while the two defendants were granted bail in the sum of 10m each with two sureties in like sum pending the hearing and determination of the charge against them.
The court also ruled that the sureties must be residents within the jurisdiction of the court and their financial status and address must be credible and verifiable.
All defendants must also provide evidence of payment of tax for the last three years as well as deposit their international passport with the registrar of the court.
After parties in the matter have also agreed that the trial will continue after the Easter holidays, the court adjourned till May 25, June 1, 8, and 15 for the commencement of trial.
On the 9th of February, 2023, Chrisland School, Ikeja, organized an inter-house sport at the Agege Sports Stadium for its students, and during the event, Whitney was electrocuted.
Indeed, a nine-paged autopsy report conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja put the cause of death asphyxia and electrocution.
When she slumped at the event, she was given first aid by the nurse on standby and was subsequently rushed to Agege Central Hospital, Agege, Lagos where she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
The two-count charge which was filed on behalf of the state government by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Dr. Jide Martins disclosed that the defendants all negligently killed Whitney by not ensuring her safety, adding they all acted in a reckless and negligent manner that endangered human life.
The offences are contrary to Sections 224 & 251 of the Criminal Law, C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015, with the sentence of life imprisonment and two-year jail terms respectively, if found guilty.