Coroner's final verdict confirms Adeleke dead of drug misuse
The Coroner Inquest set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of the first civilian Governor of Osun State, late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke has concluded that the deceased died as a result of the drug overdose administered on him by an unqualified personnel.
The Coroner, Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara said this while giving his verdict on the cause of the deceased death.
On the 8th of May, 2017, the Coroner Inquest set up by the State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola began its sitting and summoned those who saw the late Senator last especially the nurse that treated him.
It would be recalled that while the party leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun West Senatorial District, Honourable Amobi Akintola claimed that the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke did not eat anything at the final burial of his grandmother, Balqiz Atoke Salimonu on April 22.
The State Deputy Governor, Mrs Grace Titilayo Tomori said the late Senator actually ate something at the party.
According to Amobi,"late Senator Adeleke arrived at my party around 4:30pm in the company of 20 to 30 political allies and was served food but the senator didn't eat because it was poundo yam we made and he preferred semolina. Although he was offered some fish, he didn't eat that too.
"He also drank the drink he bought which was Remy Martins. Although his friends mixed the drink with coca cola, late senator Adeleke drank his undiluted. Later the Deputy Governor, Mrs Grace Titilayo Tomori came and they both sat together before she eventually left the party too.
However in her account, Deputy Governor explained that a woman actually brought a plate of fried rice mixed with jollof rice which had no meat and was uncovered to the deceased and he ate about 3 spoons.
According to her," I got to Kuta after 5pm and was received by the late senator Adeleke. Because of that honour, I followed him to the table he sat which had about 8 other men.
"A woman later brought a plate of rice and the deceased didn't want to eat it initially. He was just turning the food around, he later managed to eat 3 spoons before pushing the food aside. A man also brought a drink but I can't really remember its name. After giving Hon. Amobi the package I had for him, I left the party and that was all until I heard about the death of the senator the following day."
Meanwhile the Chief Medical Director of Ladoke Teaching Hospital, (Lautech), Professor Akeem Olawale Lasisi revealed the late Senator might have died of over-dose of drugs.
He explained that when the corpse of the deceased was brought to the hospital, he asked for his medical history and was told one person that was neither a doctor nor a nurse injected him with some medicines when he complained of leg pain the day before he died.
Lasisi said the drugs include 5% of dextrose, intravenous fluid giving set, scalp vein needle, 2 ampoules of analgin, 4 ampoules of 10kg of diazepam, 1 ampoule of pentasozine, 1 ampoule of getamacine and Valium which when given in excess dosage could cause reflex collapse and blockage of respiratory system.
He told the coroner that from the look of things and empty ampoules, the late senator was given those drugs in excess.
Also a Consultant Anatomic pathologist from Lautech Teaching Hospital, Dr Olufemi Taiwo Solaja who conducted autopsy on the deceased revealed the late Senator died of drug misuse.
Solaja said the result of toxicology test carried out on the body of the deceased shows abnormally high levels of alcohol, sedatives and analgesics.
He explained that the over dose of drugs which include Analgin, Diazepam, Pentasozine and Getamacine used by the deceased before shortly before his death were also responsible.
He however noted that the deceased was not poisoned as speculated as there was no traces of poison or heavy metals recorded in the toxicology report.
"The late Senator apparently vomited and aspirated due to the deep sedation and so the aspiration of the gastric contents blocked the air ways thus depriving the body of oxygen.
However, the Nurse who allegedly treated late Senator Isiaka Adeleke for gout the night before he died, Alfred Aderibigbe, denied giving the deceased drug overdose as claimed by the pathologist.
Aderibigbe explained he only diluted the drugs but didn't actually administer all of them on the deceased.
"I broke three out of the four injections I brought to trick him, since he insisted that I gave him all the dosages as against what I saw in the prescription. I only gave him Diazepam 20ml, Analgin 50ml and hydrochloric 200ml.
"Dipo was asked to bring the drugs I used and he brought everything, including the ones I didn't use, that is what people saw and concluded I gave the late Senator overdose."
Following Nurse Alfred Aderibigbe's claims that he didn't really administer all the drugs found in the late lawmaker's room, the police toxicology report was reviewed and it was discovered that Aderibigbe was actually economical with the truth about the quantity of drugs and how it was administered on the deceased before his death.
Aderibigbe had denied administering Gentamicine on the senator while treating him for gout.
The Nurse said he diluted Hydrocortisone in fluid and gave Metamyzole, Diazepam, Pentazocine and Analgin intramuscular to the deceased.
Police toxicology report on the pathological examination carried out on the deceased by Mr. Benedict Agbu, a police forensic expert, however, revealed that Adeleke was administered with Gentamicine before his death.
The report which was admitted in exhibit at the coroner disclosed that Metamyzole, Diazepam, Pentazocine and Analgin were administered on Adeleke intravenously against Aderibigbe’s claim.
Analyses of the findings in the blood and urine samples taken from Adeleke’s corpse, as contained in the toxicology report proved negative result for the presence of chlorinated hydrocarbon herbicides, organo-paosforous pesticide, rodenticides, metallic poison, cynide and tri-cylic anti depressants.
“Diazepam, Pentazocine, Analgin, Hydrocortisone and Gentamicine were confirmed in the blood and urine samples submitted.
“Metamyzole and its Metabolites 27.2ug/ml, Hydrocortisone 9.25ug/ml, Gentamicin 17.4ug/ml, Pentazocine 4.5ug/ml, Diazepam 12.2 ug/ml, also urine Diazepam concetration 7.1ug/ml.
“Fatalities have been reported at the following blood concentration: Metamyzole (Analgin) 22.0ug/ml, Pentazocin, 1.2ug/ml, Gentamicin 12ug/ml, Diazepam, 5.0ug/ml, hydrocortisone, 3.7ug/ml.
“The presence of alcohol was also confirmed in the blood, urine and gastric content with concentration of 450ug/ml, 215ug/ml and 562ug/ml respectively. The blood concentrations of the drugs are above the levels known to cause fatalities.
“The confirmation of Diazepam, Pentazocine, Hydrocortisone and alcohol with the established concentration in the body of the deceased is capable of producing a fatal Synergetic Hypertensive and respiratory depressive effect. With the route of the delivery (intravenous) of the drugs, the effect will be sudden and capable of occurring in minutes."
While giving his verdict, Coroner Ayilara explained that the deceased had been treated by the nurse, Alfred Aderibigbe for several years without a doctor's prescription and that on the particular day the deceased died, Aderibigbe had administered some drugs on him intravenously as written in his statement and confirmed by the autopsy and toxicology report.
"From the look of things, the nurse was actually economical with words while he was giving his testimony because while he claimed he administered the drugs intramuscular, the toxicology report shows other wise and also in his statement with the police, he wrote that he administered the drugs intravenously.
"I don't believe his testimony in this regard. I hold that he administered the over dose intravenously. He had a lot to hide and was economical with the truth.
"Also, the news that the late Senator was poisoned is not sustainable. The toxicology report clearly shows that there were no traces of prison or heavy metals in the blood of the deceased."
He added that the Consultant anatomic pathologist with Lautech Teaching Hospital, Dr. Taiwo Olufemi Solaja also confirmed the deceased died due to multiple drug overdose coupled with abnormally high level of alcohol.
Ayilara thereby recommended that the qualification of Alfred Aderibigbe be further investigated by the police. He also advised the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP)'s office to look further into the case file of Aderibigbe to know the appropriate charge, if any, to press against him.
While commending the Governor for setting up the inquest, Ayilara also implored him to sensitize people on the dangers of taking drugs without doctor's prescription.