Drug overdose, not poison killed Adeleke, Coroner rules

The Coroner Inquest setup by the Osun State Government to investigate the cause of the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke in its verdict yesterday said the first civilian governor of the State died of drug overdose and not poison. Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara, the coroner, said all evidence and accounts of witnesses before him indicated that Adeleke died of drug overdose, contrary to wide spread insinuation that the Senator was poisoned.

Ayilara upheld the autopsy reports carried out on the late Adeleke at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo and the toxicology report on the late politician. Late Isiaka AdelekeAdeleke He said; “I have critically gone through all the evidence before me. From the totality of evidence, the possibility of poisoning of the deceased is not sustainable.

“I have not been able to trace any link to the poisoning by anybody. The autopsy report and also the toxicologist report are very specific to say there was no trace of poison or heavy metal in the blood of the deceased. “Therefore, it is my firm opinion that he was not poisoned, I so hold.” Ayilara also said the evidences of the pathologist, Dr Femi Solaja, the toxicologist, Police Forensic expert, DSP Benedict Agboh and Prof. Akeem Lasisi, Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH teaching hospital, “all scientifically pointed to the fact that the death of the deceased was caused by aspiration of the gastric content which blocked his airways as a result of high level of alcohol, sedative, anagesic, which cause the vital senses centre in the brain to shut down resulting in death.

He said the nurse that treated the deceased before he died, Mr Alfred Aderibigbe, tried to puncture the scientific evidence, by denying administering overdose on Adeleke while treating him for gout. The coroner said Aderibigbe’s attempt failed because the evidence he gave in court and the police statement he made were contradictory, saying that the nurse was being economical with the truth.

Ayilara in the summary of his verdict said: “The deceased did not die of food poisoning, the deceased had an administration of overdose of sedative and anagesic by an unqualified personnel, Alfred Aderibigbe, through intravenous means which action was hastened by the presence of alcohol in the system. “The deceased had patronised the said Aderibigbe for about 20 years and had taken treatment from him without doctor’s prescription and that the high dose of sedative and anagesic with the mode of administration caused his death.

“The coroner however recommend that the qualification of Aderibigbe should be further investigated to be sure he is qualified as he claims and that the office of the Department of Public Prosecution should look into the case file of Aderibigbe with them with a view to determine the appropriate charges, if any, to be pressed against him.

“The public should be sensitise by the government on the need to visit and patronise only qualified medical personnel in treatment of their ailments.”

Vanguard