Postmortem reveals what killed Ruth Matete’s husband – VIDEO
Gospel singer and TPF 5 winner Ruth Matete’s husband the late John Olakanmi Apewajoye died from complications resulting from the burns he sustained in the March 30 fire incident at their home in Great Wall estate, Athi River.
Chief government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor, who on Thursday afternoon led a team of four pathologists and senior homicide detectives in conducting the autopsy at the Kenyatta National Hospital Mortuary, said the complications that the deceased suffered included sepsis and multiple organs failure.
“He died because of burns which were mixed degree burns estimated at 60 percent. In burns, what kills are the complications that arise. In this case there was sepsis, multiple organs failure and all that,” explained Dr Oduor.
He added that the deceased did not bear any marks of injuries of his body.
“We checked and there was none.”
Samples were also picked from the deceased’s body for use in conducting toxicological tests.
The four pathologists represented the deceased’s wife, the government, Bellevue South hospital and Mr Jessy Mc Jessiey, the Nigerian national who had accused Ms Matete of having a hand in the deceased’s death.
The exercise that begun around 3pm lasted just over an hour and was witnessed also by DCI’s homicide detectives and Ms Matete’s lawyer Mr Robert Adanga.
The singer is, however, not free to bury her late husband yet.
In response to a letter sent by the DCI to the embassy on Wednesday requesting it to avail its own pathologist during today’s post mortem exercise, the Nigerian High Commission said it would be relying on the results from the chief government pathologist and requested that the body of the deceased be held until a directive allowing its release is issued by the Nigerian government.
“The high commission wished to state that, after the post mortem, the burial should be put on hold until it is in receipt of such directive from the Nigerian government while the mission awaits the conclusion of the investigations,” partly read the letter signed by Mr Mahmud Lawal, the commission’s Head of Chancery.
Consequently, the DCI on Thursday instructed KNH not to release the body that has been lying at the hospital’s mortuary for nearly two weeks.
Ms Matete, however, is opposed to the decision by the embassy to hold her husband’s body.
Her lawyer Mr Adanga said the move was unfair to his client and that they shall be seeking audience with the embassy so that she can be allowed to bury her husband.
“We shall strongly communicate to the Nigerian embassy and strongly oppose the decision to hold the body at KNH. The embassy was duly informed to present a pathologist but it opted not to. It is therefore extremely unfair to withhold the body as my client needs to peacefully rest and mourn.”
“We urge every party concerned to objectively look at the facts of this case before judging Ruth. We are satisfied with how the homicide department has handled the investigation and we shall support them in everything they may need,” said Mr Adanga.