Cause of Adegoke, OAU student’s death can’t be determined-Pathologist tells court
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
A Consultant Pathologist, Prof Segun Ojo, has told an Osun State High Court, sitting in Osogbo, that it was impossible to determine the cause of death of Timothy Adegoke, a master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
Ojo, who works with the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, was one of the team of eight pathologists that carried out an autopsy on the late Adegoke’s decomposing body.
He was the first prosecution witness called by the defence on Wednesday when the case resumed.
He was led in evidence by counsel to the 2nd, 4th and 5th defendants, Kunle.Adegoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Ojo disclosed that he joined a team compromising seven other professionals after the Head of Department, Prof. Akin Komolafe, invited Prof. E. Afolayan to participate in the autopsy examination on the corpse of late Adegoke.
He further told the court that, during the examination, he could not decide the cause of death, adding that, there were no marks of violence on the corpse of the deceased.
II cannot say that the deceased died of natural cause. No pathologists should be able to say that. No anatomical cause of death was found due to advanced decomposition.
“The cause of death of Adegoke cannot be anatomically determined. With every confidence, I rule out violence as the cause of the death of Timothy. I’m clear that this death is not unnatural. I could not say it is a natural death,” Ojo said.
He said he submitted his report to the office of the Osun State Commissioner of Police.
It would be recalled that the Chairman of Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, Dr Rahmon Adedoyin and six others, are charged with the murder of Adegoke.
The six defendants are; Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Florence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola.
The defendants had earlier pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted felony, unlawful interference with a dead body, altering and intent to destroy evidence.
