Nurse lied over drugs he gave Adeleke, says Police forensic expert

• Insists Police Must Get Autopsy Report Before Family

The Coroner inquest into the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke sitting in Osogbo was yesterday told that the nurse who treated the former governor of Osun State was economical with the truth about the quantity of drugs and how they were administered on the deceased before his death.

Besides, 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.

At the resumed Coroner hearing, the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Police held that the essence of submitting the report to the Police, upon a request for autopsy, is to enable the Police, when necessary, 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.‎

Aderibigbe, who claimed to be a Chief Nursing Officer at Comprehensive Health Centre, Edunabon, had during his evidence before the Coroner Inquest set up by the state government to probe Adeleke’s death, on 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 body, 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, said: “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 concentration 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.