Coroner’s inquest: Nurse lied over drugs he gave Adeleke – Police Forensic expert

..Insists Police must get autopsy report before family

The coroner inquest into the death of the Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke sitting in Osogbo was on Friday told that the Nurse who treated the former Governor of Osun was economical with the truth about the quantity of drugs and how it was administered on the deceased before his death.

This was even as the Police stated that it is the normal and standard practice that when Form B and C are served on pathologists, the report of the autopsy is to be submitted to the police and not family members as it is in the present case of Late Senator Adeleke.

At the resumed Coroner hearing, The Nigeria Police Osun Command held that the essence of submitting the report to the police, upon a request for autopsy, is that it will enable the police when necessary, to pursue criminal prosecution, hence the duplication and submission of such ‎to the State Ministry of Justice for legal advice.

‎The Coroner also heard that the Adeleke family did not order for the autopsy carried out on the deceased. Dr. Taiwo Olufemi Solaja who examined the deceased for autopsy, said he only acted on the orders of Coroner Dorcas Ajiboye.

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Aderibigbe, who claimed to be a Chief Nursing Officer at Comprehensive Health Centre, Edunabon, Osun State, had during his evidence before the Coroner Inquest set up by the Osun State Government to probe Adeleke’s death yesterday (Thursday) 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, 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.

The report which was read at the Coroner by a Superintendent of Police, Mr. Moses read in part, “The digested food particles were found in the gastric content but no drug particle was found in the exhibit.

“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. 

“Such fatalities have been reported in literature. The low concentrations of the substances in the gastric content are as a result of the route of administration of the drugs.”

However, the toxicology reports, Aderibigbe’s statement with the Police, reply of the Principal of the School of Nursing, Osogbo for the confirmation of Aderibigbe’s Nursing certificate were produced at the Coroner inquest and were all admitted as exhibits CE6A, CE6B, CE6C and CE6D.

Meanwhile, a lawyer who was observing the proceeding, Dr. Basiru Ajibola, urged the Coroner to call back Aderibigbe for clarifications on his evidence which contradicts the toxicology report. 

But the Coroner, Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara said there was no need to call Aderibigbe back because the coroner would work on the reports and evidences admitted so far, just as he called on members of the public to submitt memorandum on the matter.

Also, a Consultant Anatomic Pathologist from Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Solaja has denied the claim that the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s family ordered for the autopsy carried out on the deceased.

Solaja, while testifying on Friday before Coroner stated that none of the family of the deceased ever asked him to conduct the post mortem.

“I was served the autopsy forms by the police and it was signed by Coroner Dorcas Ajiboye. Since it was the Coroner who ordered the autopsy, I am entitled to submit the autopsy report back to her via the police, not to any family member or anybody else”, he added.

Asked if the deceased’s family were aware Coroner ordered for the autopsy, Solaja said they should be as he was served the forms by the police in their presence.