A pathologist, who carried out an autopsy on the late senator’s body, Dr. Taiwo Sholaja, told a coroner’s inquest that no trace of poison was found in the body system of the deceased. Sholaja, while giving evidence before the coroner court headed by Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara, said the autopsy carried out by him and two other pathologists from Ladoke Akintola University Hospital, Osogbo (LAUTECH), revealed that the late senator died of “aspiration of gastric content due to multiple drug overdose.”
The autopsy report was marked Exhibit CE2.
The pathologist, who was led in evidence by Mrs. Oyindamola Daramola, a LAUTECH Hospital’s Senior Legal Officer, explained that histology of the tissues from the body of the deceased was normal except from the heart, which showed hypertrophy and the liver showed alcoholic steato-hypatitis.
He, however, said that the autopsy carried out by him and his team was performed in the presence of the Divisional Officer of Dugbe Police Station, Osogbo, SP Ogunkanmi Gbemileke and two other pathologists from LAUTECH. In his evidence-in-chief, Sholaja said prior to the autopsy, he had gathered from a family member of the late senator, Mrs. Modupe Adeleke-Sani that the late politician had complained of pains on the knees and inability to sleep, following which some drugs were said to have been administered on him.
This, according to Sholaja, caused Adeleke’s death as discovered following the examination carried out on the deceased’s body that the drugs administered on him in excess quantity was the cause of his death. His breathing was blocked due to the drugs’ side effect, Sholaja said.
He went on: “Aspiration of the gastric content blocked his airwaves through depriving the body of oxygen which was also evident in the bluish discolouration shown on some parts of the deceased’s body.”
According to him, the used containers of the drugs administered on him had indicated that a banned drug, Analgin injection, as well as Diazepam injection, pentasozine injection, gentamicin and hydrocortisone drugs were given to him, which side effects included drowsiness, vomiting and cardiovascular collapse, had caused blockage of his breathing. Sholaja said no trace of poison and metal was, however, found in Adeleke’s body as examined.
He went on: “Death in this case was due to aspiration of gastric content, although the deceased had hypertensive heart disease which could have caused sudden death, but no evidence of such, either grossly or micro-scopically.
“It is known that excessive alcoholic intake may depress the central nervous system with the blunting of the gas influx.
This may also induce vomiting. “The deceased was deeply sedated and was given an overdose of analgesic; these drugs are known to cause central nervous system depression. “He apparently vomited and aspirated due to the deep sedation, so the aspiration of the gastric content blocked the airways, depriving the body of oxygen.
“This showed up in the body as stinge of colouration. This could cause vital seizure of the system.
“The toxicology report also showed abnormally high levels of alcohol, sedative and analgesic in the blood of the deceased.
“There was no trace of poison or heavy metals in the toxicology report. Nigeria police did the toxicology examination and the result was given to me on May 15, 2017.” SP Gbemileke and the officer in charge of Homicide, SP Etetah Moses, confirmed before the coroner that empty bottles and injections of the drugs given to the deceased were in police custody.
Meanwhile, Adeleke’s family had described the coroner as a ‘kangaroo, unholy and ungodly’, purposely set up by the Rauf Aregbesola-led administration to divert attention from the real cause of their benefactor’s death.
Speaking through the younger brother of the deceased, Dr. Deji Adeleke, the family described the panel as a conspiratorial move to distort fact on the real outcome of the autopsy. The deceased’s younger brother said that the family is considering all legal options available to address the unfortunate and unprofessional conduct exhibited by the medical practitioners in the matter.
He said: “We state that as at now, the family has not received the autopsy report and the family will not engage in speculations over its contents.
“However, it has come to the knowledge of the family that the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Prof. Akeem Lasisi, on May 15, 2017, appeared before the kangaroo inquest set up by the state government and gave evidence on the cause of death of Senator Adeleke, when neither the family had been briefed nor the autopsy report released.
“On May 9, 2017, the family requested for the autopsy report after the expiration of the agreed two weeks period for completion of same. The CMD who claimed to be away in Abuja at the time, confirmed that the autopsy report was ready and that a copy was ready with the Osun State Police Command, while another copy was with the Chief Pathologist at LAUTECH.
“Alarmed at such a position, the family queried why a copy of the autopsy report would be with the police command without any copy given to the family that ordered the autopsy in the first instance. The CMD now changed the story, saying that the autopsy was only conducted at the Nigeria Police Forensic Laboratory in Lagos.
“Unknown to the family, the CMD had already appeared and testified under oath before the state kangaroo inquest earlier the same day where he testified conclusively that the cause of the sudden of Senator Adeleke was as a result of “banned injection overdose” given to him, relying on 3rd party “hearsay” instead of forensic toxicology report.
The CMD deliberately did not disclose to the inquest that the autopsy report was not ready. “It is quite disheartening that we live in a country where some of our supposed professionals can be so easily compromised by their paymasters without any regard to the oath they swore to as medical health practitioners.
“The family has also noted with interest the contradictory testimonies at the Coroner’s Inquest as to whether Senator Isiaka Adeleke had anything to eat at the last party he attended and hosted by an Osun State APC chieftain.
“It is on record that based on the high level of unprofessional conduct already displayed by LAUTECH, the integrity of the “yet to be ready” autopsy must have been seriously compromised,” a family member stated.
