Coroner rules out poisoning as cause of Adeleke’s death

The coroner inquest ordered by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State to probe the cause of death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke has ruled out poisoning as the cause of the late politician’s death.

Instead, the coroner blamed the nurse that administered some drugs on the deceased intravenously without a doctor’s prescription.

The coroner, Mr. Olusegun Ayilara, made the declaration on Tuesday while giving verdict on the matter after about three weeks of investigations.

Recall that Adeleke died on April 23, 2017.

This is as the Independent Electoral Commission has reportedly declared July 8 for the re-run election.

“The high dose of sedatives and analgesics with the mode of administration caused aspiration which culminated in death,” the coroner held.
Mr. Ayilara said he based his conclusion on the autopsy and toxicology reports, which did not find any trace of poison in the deceased system.

“There were no traces of poison and metal in the system of the deceased. The cause of death is aspiration caused by a drug overdose following the statement by the Pathologist Dr Taiwo Solaja,” he added.

The coroner, who is a Magistrate, therefore, recommended the prosecution of the nurse, Mr. Alfred Aderibigbe, whom he said according to his findings, administered multiple doses of banned drugs, Steroids, Analgesics and Sedatives on late Sen. Isiaka Adeleke as his testimony was at variance with the toxicology reports independently carried out by the Nigerian Police.

Mr. Ayilara after reading his ruling, appreciated people who had followed the sitting of the inquest till the end and subsequently declared the inquest closed.

The coroner had summoned 15 witnesses including the nurse that treated Adeleke shortly before he died, Mr . Alfred Aderibigbe. The pathologist, who carried out the autopsy on the corpse of the late politician, Dr. Taiwo Solaja, as well as the Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Prof. Akeem Lasisi, also testified.

The siblings of the deceased were also invited by the coroner to testify but they shunned the hearing, accusing the state government of setting up the inquest to achieve predetermined end, in order to score political gain.