Says LASUTH lacked toxicology laboratory
Admin l Tuesday, February 08, 2022
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Dr. Sunday Shokunle Soyemi who carried out autopsy on the corpse of Sylvester Oromoni, Snr., has insisted that the former student of Dowen College, died of Septicemia (Sepsis), that is blood poisoning, especially that caused by bacteria or their toxins.
Dr. Soyemi, while being led in evidence-in-chief by Director of Public Prosecution, testified on his findings during the autopsy he carried out on the deceased, stressing that there was a generalised infection of the body.
He described part of his finding as Lobar pneumonia, claiming It was infection of the lungs, adding that the deceased also had infection of the liver, the kidneys, infection of right arm, the soft tissue of the muscles covering the bone below the ankle against all his findings.
“The summary of these is that he had generalised infections”.
Dr. Soyemi continued his testimony saying, “This could have been treated. What could have been used in treatment was massive doses of intravenous, antibiotic, intravenous fluid and blood transfusion.”
He added that based on his finding, the ailment could have been properly managed if he was taken for proper treatment. He also said that Oromoni’s condition was not a terminal case at all.
During the proceedings before the Coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, the pathologist disclosed further that the first pathologist who conducted initial autopsy on the deceased failed to cut some organs that would have revealed whether the late student died of ingestion of poisonous substance.
Speaking further, Dr. Soyemi, said a black substance was discovered in the intestine of the deceased during the second autopsy, noting that he did not carry out a test to determine what the black substance was because LASUTH doesn’t have a toxicology laboratory.
While cross examining the witness who has conducted over 500 autopsies, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, asked if it was proper for one of the 14 persons present at the post mortem, Dr. Iwikwe Chikwodili Isabella who represented one of the accused students to speak on Arise TV about autopsy findings, the pathologist said, “That’s not the practice it is not normal and not the usual thing.
He also said he was embarrassed when the report was being discussed on TV.
“I was embarrassed in the sense that she didn’t perform the autopsy, she observed all through. It’s not the normal practice even if you have done the autopsy,” he said. He pointed that if the deceased had been physically assaulted or beaten, all the exposed areas will show haemorrhage.
He also spoke to photographs particularly about the procedure and methods of the post mortem. He faulted the initial pathologist describing it as botched autopsy.
