The family of the Nigerian teenager who was shot dead in his rented accommodation in Dunboyne, Co Meath in the early hours of Friday 2 August, have spoken of their utter devastation at his death, and have criticised the authorities for the way they have handled the incident.
Sumbo Owoiya’s father, Adewale, and other family members told Metro Eireann of their belief in a delay by the ambulance services in attending to Sumbo contributed to his death.
Adewale said while it took the ambulance about 35 minutes to get to the scene of the incident, “the ambulance delayed leaving the scene by 15 minutes after they had already taken him into the ambulance. We tried to get them to move to the hospital but they said all was okay.”
The family is awaiting clarification on the decision not to bring Sumbo to hospital immediately.
He added that he has no idea why anyone would murder his 17-year-old, son who he described as “a gentle and generous person, who was loved by everybody he came in contact with. He doesn’t smoke or drink. If there’s a row, he would make you smile and forget it.”
Adewale said his grief is shared by Sumbo’s Irish girlfriend, who is in disbelief at the bloody murder of her partner: “She was shocked and she cried. She said she is ready to render whatever help she can to make sure the people are caught.”
Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man, Joseph Sullivan, has been charged in connection to the murder of Sumbo Owoiya.
Sullivan, who was remanded in custody, is scheduled to appear before Dublin’s Cloverhill District Court on 10 August.
Although the family has welcomed the charging of Sullivan in connection to the killing, they said they are appalled by the treatment they have so far received from the authorities involved with the incident.
Adewale said both himself and members of his family, as well as the teenage friend of Sumbo who witnessed the shooting, have neither received counselling nor been properly briefed by gardai.
Two teenage Nigerian witnesses have also been allegedly interviewed twice by gardai in the absence of a solicitor.
Adewale added that what was most painful to him, apart from the murder of his son, was the way that he claimed gardai treated him while he was expressing his sorrow in James Connolly Hospital when his son was pronounced dead.
“The gardai harassed me,” he said. “One grabbed me and held my neck with his elbows and [held me against] the garda car. They wanted everybody to leave the hospital. Patients in the hospital were giving out to them for the appalling treatment.” He said that one of his female relatives who tried to intervene was threatened with arrest.
Adewale expressed his wish to turn back the clock and save his son’s life. He told Metro Eireann that Sumbo and his friend, a witness to the shooting, joined him in Clonee about two hours before he met his untimely death.
“I gave him some money and asked him to buy whatever he wanted with his friend. I urged them to drive safely home,” he said. “If I knew he was going to die, I would have stopped him from going home to Dunboyne that night.”
Adewale said that all he knew about the incident was that “Sumbo and his Nigerian male friend were sleeping in the apartment about 2am when they had a bang asking them to open the door. When Sumbo inquired who it was, a voice replied ‘gardai’.
“Sumbo looked through the peephole and said they were not gardai. He ordered them to leave the apartment immediately or else he would call the gardai.”
At the same time, Adewale told Metro Eireann, Sumbo’s friend said that he had looked outside the apartment through the window and confirmed to Sumbo that there was no garda car present.
What followed then, according to Adewale, was the fatal gunshot. He said that contrary to media reports that Sumbo was hit in the leg, he believed the shot went through his stomach.
The Garda Press Office said it would not comment on any issues raised by the family as the matter is now before the courts. Earlier, it said that media reports with regard to the victim of the crime were erroneous, and that Sumbo Owoiya was not sought by gardai in relation to any alleged incident or investigation.
