The cross-examination of a deputy director from the Lagos State Ministry of Youth & Social Development, Mr. Yakubu Abisogun, continued on Thursday before Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, in the trial of the principal and some staff members of Chrisland School, Opebi, Lagos over the death of Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old student of the school.
While answering questions from counsel to the 4th defendant, Mr Ademola Animashaun, the witness testified he was aware that Chrisland School, Opebi trained its members of staff on the safeguarding policy of the Lagos State Government.
He also admitted that he was once a facilitator during one of the trainings.
Abisogun also said he was not aware that Chrisland School had three child protection officers – Mrs Taylor, Mrs Fajemirokun, and Mrs Oladimeji – on the ground at the Agege Stadium on the day Whitney died.
Chrisland School, Opebi, its principal, Belinda Amao, the vice-principal, Kuku Fatai, the school nurse, Victoria Nwatu, and a cotton candy vendor at the Agege Stadium, Ademoye Adewale, are facing trial before the court for Whitney’s death.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala on a two-count charge bordering on alleged involuntary manslaughter, and reckless and negligent manner that endangered the student’s life.
They pleaded not guilty.
At the continuation of the trial on Thursday, Justice Ogala first admitted into evidence the treasury receipts paid by Chrisland School for the use of Agege Stadium.
Abisogun, who is testifying as the 3rd prosecution, then continued his testimony from where he stopped at the last sitting of the court. The witness agreed that the primary responsibility of school safety rests on his ministry, the Ministry of Youth & Social Development.
He also testified that he did not know if the school had an emergency bus on the ground on the day of the incident but he was aware that the school had a bus at the venue.
“I am aware that the school had a nurse on the ground, but I don’t know if there were any first aiders on the ground on the day of the incident,” the witness testified.
“I am aware that the deceased was taken to a primary health center in Agege and that the stadium is far from the primary health center where she was taken to.”
“I don’t know the time it took the school emergency bus to get to the hospital,” he further said.
The defence counsel, however, countered this testimony when he brought out his phone to show the witness the GPS timing, which indicated that the driving distance between the stadium and the hospital is three minutes.
While answering questions about the meeting of February 14, 2023, the witness reiterated that it was fact-finding and that he wrote his report on the circumstances surrounding the student’s death based on the findings of that meeting.
He said, “I don’t know whether the autopsy report was out as of the time I did my report because I also recommended that the cause of death should be looked into.”
When asked if he knew that his report contained some inaccuracies, the witness replied in the negative.
“I was not aware that the school got to know about the death of the deceased after the event but I can confirm that the commissioner ordered the closure of the school after the incident,” he said.
“I can also confirm that the doctor at Agege Central Hospital, where the deceased was taken to is a qualified medical personnel, and the hospital is licensed.”
Justice Oyindamola Ogala has adjourned the case to June 3 for the continuation of cross-examination.
