A prosecution witness and Deputy Director with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr Jubril Yakubu has said on Wednesday told the court presided by Justice Oyindamola Ogala of an Ikeja High Court that it was not within his purview to investigate the stadium where the 12-year-old Chrisland student, Whitney Adediran allegedly died.
Yakubu made this disclosure while he was being cross-examined by the first defence counsel, Mrs Bimpe Adegbomogun.
The witness who had served for 24 years said that it was not part of his responsibility to investigate Agege Stadium.
“Agege Stadium was not within the purview of my investigation as a social welfare officer.
“The implementation of the policy doesn’t belong to me, it belongs to the whole school assessment committee, Domestic and Sexual Violation Agency and Ministry for Youth and Development.
“My duty is on four principles which are general well being of children, consultation and transparency, early recognition and intervention.
“My duty here is to identify issues that can bring about harms to children in school and I do not agree that my office and ministry has failed woefully.
The social worker further told the court that in his report, he mentioned that the cause of death be established through autopsy.
Under cross-examination by the second defence counsel, Chief Richard Ahonaruogho (SAN), the witness said that everything that came to his knowledge was contained in his report.
The witness said that the fact finding of his report was addressed to the management of the ministry but it was not indicated in the report.
He added that the parents of the deceased were not present at the meeting held in February 14, 2023.
He also reteirated that the management of the stadium was also not invited to the fact finding meeting.
Yakubu confirmed that the dissemination of policy should be done by the staff of the ministry to school but he did not know if there were document to show it had been disseminated.
The witness further said it was not indicated in the report that the school did not have a child protector officer.
He said: “I visited the parents of the decreased to commiserate with them but I do not know when the school contracted the parents.
“I do not rely on social media and my conclusion that the school was insensitive was not a lie.
” I would not be surprised that the absence of the decreased from school on January 20, 2023 was due to her being sick because it is not an issue to me.
“I am not a medical practitioner, so I do not know what anxiety panic attack is.”
The witness further said that he did not think the parents of the deceased had a duty to inform the school that the deceased had panic attack.
“The school is the custodian of a child and they have the biodata of students.
“The consultant psychologist of the school was not allowed in the meeting because she did not identify herself as part of the school management,” the witness said.
The Lagos State Government on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland Schools, its principal and vice principal and two others with the killing of Whitney.
Adediran was allegedly electrocuted on Feb. 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports competition at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.
Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao (Principal) and Victoria Nwatu.
The judge adjourned the case until March 21 for continuation of trial.
