Today December 3rd 2020, an Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo discharged and acquitted a nurse, Alfred Aderibigbe who treated former governor of the state and Uncle to singer, Davido, late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, before his sudden demise on Sunday, April 23, 2017.
Recall that Adeleke died after he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to Bikets Hospital where he passed away.
Shortly after his death, the former governor of the state; Rauf Aregbesola, signed an executive order setting up a coroner inquest headed by Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara, to investigate the cause of the death of late Adeleke.
The findings of the Corona Inquest revealed that Senator Isiaka Adeleke died of drug overdose coupled with an aspiration of gastric content. Magistrate Ayilara said the deceased had an administration of an overdose of sedative and analgesia by unqualified personnel, Alfred Aderibigbe, through intravenous means, which action was hastened by the presence of alcohol in the system. The deceased had patronized the nurse for over 20 years and had taken treatment from him without a doctor’s prescription.
The Magistrate ruled that Alfred was an unqualified personnel and recommended that the Department of Public Prosecutions should duplicate the case file and press approbation charges against the nurse.
On June 8, 2018, the accused nurse was first arraigned in the High Court where he pleaded not guilty to one count murder charge preferred against him.
The Prosecuting team from the Ministry of Justice led by Acting Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Barrister Dapo Adeniji had called nine witnesses and tendered several exhibits during the trial. Among the witnesses is Chief Medical Director of Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Prof. Akeem Lasisi, The Consultant Pathologist, who carried out the autopsy on Adeleke’s corpse, Dr Taiwo Sholaja, police forensic expert and others.
Also, Aderibigbe, during his trial gave evidence before the Court, said the drugs he gave the late Senator were those given to him by Adeleke and not in overdose. Counsel to the nurse, Barrister Soji Oyetayo, informed the court that none of the witnesses visited the late Senator’s house to confirm if the used drugs brought to the Court were truly administered to deceased.
“My client was shown a doctor prescription by deceased before administering the injection/drugs on the deceased. He saw on the doctor’s prescription as a prescription written by a Lagos doctor whom he could not remember his name anymore and after checking same, he returned it to the deceased. We, therefore, urge your Lordship to discountenance the submission of the prosecution counsel in this regard as misconceived and lacking in evidence as the prosecution failed to prove to the Court that the Defendant acted without doctor’s prescription.”Oyetayo said.
He noted that none of the witnesses and police investigating officers visited the scene of the crime to retrieve the doctor’s prescription which was in the custody of the deceased before his death.
“The deceased was in emergency need of medical attention before the invitation of the defendant to treat the deceased. Oladipo Fabode who handed over the used drugs investigating Police officer didn’t testify throughout the trail and the said drug is not harmful to late Senator or anyone.”he said
Delivering judgment in the case today, the presiding judge, Justice Ayo Oyebiyi, said that the prosecution counsel failed to prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt and hereby discharge and acquit the nurse.
