Chrisland: Medical facilities for students participating in competition not state’s duty — Witness

The state social welfare officer, Yakubu Abisogun, has stated that the state is not responsible for ensuring that proper medical facilities are provided for students participating in the competition.

Abisogun testified during the trial of the death of Whitney Adeniran, a student of Chrisland School, who died of an alleged electrocution on February 9, 2023, during an Inter-house sports competition held at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.

The third defendant’s counsel, Olukayode Enitan, SAN, disagreed with the witness on whether it was the state government’s responsibility or Chrisland School’s responsibility to provide medical and safety precautions. Enitan made the witness read subsection 3(2) of a document titled ‘A Law Amending The Lagos State Sports Commission Law 2017,’ which states that the Sports Commission has the power to ensure the availability of proper medical facilities and take safety precautions for the health and safety of athletes and spectators in stadiums. However, the witness said he was not part of them and didn’t know.

Enitan also showed the witness some receipts of payment for usage of Agege Stadium by Chrisland school, which bore the header of Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development. The witness confirmed that the state treasury issued the receipts. The witnesses attempted to tender the receipts as evidence.

Still, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, objected to the application because it was not the office of the witness, the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development that issued the receipts.

The counsel to the second, fourth, and fifth defendants; Richard Ahonaruogho, SAN, Ademola Animasaun and Ajibola Ariba respectively, asked the court to admit the receipts as evidence on the grounds of relevance as the witness is a government worker, and the state government issued the treasury bills.

During the cross-examination, Enitan reminded the court that the witness had previously given evidence that the state government is not obligated by law to provide medical facilities and ensure safety precautions are taken at the Agege Stadium. Enitan also told the court that Chrisland School wrote to the Ministry of Education on February 10, 2023, and informed the police of the incident.

Enitan then asked Abisogun to confirm that his earlier testimony was wrong about the school not escalating the incident before his office learned of the matter and began a fact-finding mission. The witness said he was not wrong in his earlier evidence as there is a template for the school to report to other state agencies, including Child Protection, Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, and the Safety Commission.

Continuing, Enitan said to the witness, “I put it to you that your evidence that Chrisland school had only one nurse to over 500 students and guests is false. The school had two registered nurses, three Red Cross (First Cadre), and five other staff that could give first aid,” but the witness answered in the negative.

The judge, Justice Oyindamola Ogala, adjourned the matter to May 2, 2024, for the continuation of the trial.