But, in a press statement issued by the family shortly after addressing a press conference in Ede, the country home of the Adeleke, they affirmed that “as law-abiding citizens, the family cannot interfere with the judicial process that has recently commenced”.
According to the statement signed on behalf of the family by Mr Dele Adeleke, they averred that “the attention of the Adeleke family has been drawn to recent publications of sudden re-arrest and prosecution of the nurse that was involved in the treatment of our dearly beloved and departed brother and hero; Senator Isiaka Adeleke who sadly passed away on the 23rd of April, 2017”.
It reads thus, “we are aware that Osun State government set up a coroner’s inquest which sat from 8th of May, 2017and recommended the prosecution of Mr Alfred Aderibigbe, who was the nurse alleged to have administered drugs on Senator Isiaka Adeleke. Since this widely publicised declaration and recommendation of Magistrate Ayiliara, the indicted nurse has been roaming the streets freely and undisturbed”.
“The government did not consider it necessary nor important to make available to the family the detailed report of an autopsy conducted on our late brother as well as the detailed report of the coroner’s inquest. We have had to resort to getting information from the media just like every other member of the public as if we are not a related party”.
When contacted over the development, Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola described the trial of the case as ongoing, just as he assured the general public justice would be done to the matter.
Speaking through his special adviser on media, Mr Sola Fasure, the governor said “it is an ongoing case and it’s prejudicial and disrespectful of the judiciary to publicly comment on it. Let us respect the rule of law and maintain confidence in the judicial process, that justice will be done to the deceased”.
According to the statement, “the family is concerned about the further politicisation of the demise of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, especially with the timing of this sudden interest in the matter over a year of inaction on the part of the Osun State government more so that the election to change the mantle of leadership of the state is so close. There is also unfounded news in the social media about the family being behind the sudden re-arrest and prosecution of the nurse. This is far from the truth. The family is not involved”.
While expressing confidence in the judiciary as the “last hope of the common man and the only hope for justice for the deceased, Adeleke family emphasised that the judiciary “will rise to her noble calling to serve justice without fear of favour”, just as they hinted of their resolve to send a family lawyer, who would “observe the proceedings in the court as it progresses”.
The statement added that “the general public is hereby enjoined to help us ask the government why the inaction for over a year, why the sudden interest in this prosecution a few months to the gubernatorial election. The general public is hereby put on notice to be vigilant of the manipulative moves of Aregbesola’s administration”.
Meanwhile, the coroner inquest headed by Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara to investigate the cause of death of Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, on the 30th of May, 2017 concluded that the deceased politician died of an overdose of analgesic and aspiration of gastric content, which blocked his airways, thus depriving his body oxygen.
Delivering his findings in a 13-page verdict after three weeks of proceedings, the coroner, Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara said “the possibility of poison as the cause of death of the deceased is not sustainable. It is my firm opinion that he was not poisoned”.
It is recalled that Osun State High court, sitting in Ede, last Friday ordered Alfred Aderibigbe be remanded in prison custody till 29th of June, 2018 when the case would come up for hearing.
and then