An Osogbo High Court in Osun on Thursday discharged and acquitted a nurse, Alfred Aderibigbe, alleged of administering overdose drugs on the late Sen. Isiaka Adeleke before his demised on April 23, 2017.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ayo Oyebiyi, who discharged and acquitted the defendant, said prosecution counsel failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.
Oyebiyi, therefore, discharged and acquitted the defendant on a count charge against him.
Aderibigbe, who was arraigned in June 8, 2018, pleaded not guilty to a count charge of murder preferred contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap.36, Law of Osun, 2003.
The immediate past Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had signed an executive order setting up a coroner inquest to look into the cause of the death of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke.
The prosecuting team from the Ministry of Justice led by Acting Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Mr 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, a police forensic expert and others.
The defense counsel, Mr Soji Oyetayo, had told the presiding judge to discountenance the submission of the prosecution counsel in 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 commended the judgement of the presiding judge saying that justice had taken its course.
