Briton was being treated for drug overdose, inquest told

British lawyers Iain Daniels and Francesca Wiley follow proceedings during an inquest on April 29, 2015 into the death of Alexander Monson. A witness told the inquest that Mr Manson was being treated for a drug overdose. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The son of a British aristocrat was being treated for a drug overdose, an inquest into his death heard Wednesday.

Palm Beach Hospital Administrator Justus Aming’a told the inquest that according to medical records, Mr Alexander Monson was being treated for drug overdose.

Mr Monson, who was the son of Baron Nicholas John Monson, had been taken to the hospital from Diani Police Station, where he was being held for allegedly smoking bhang outside a club.

“I saw the treatment form,” said Mr Aming’a, who told Mombasa Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo that he did not inquire what the patient was being treated for.

The witness, who said he was not a medical practitioner, told the inquest that Mr Monson was unconscious and that he (witness) did not talk to him.

He said that under normal circumstances, a nurse who accompanies an ambulance should be a medical practitioner.

Mr Aming’a said on May 19, 2012 he was at work and a request for an ambulance was made by Mr William Anthony Kennaway at 10am.

The witness told the court that the nurse and a doctor who were present were handling an emergency.

He added that the patient was admitted to the hospital but later died.

Another witness, Moses Wambua, told the inquest that police directed them to where Mr Monson was when they went to pick him up at the police station.

Mr Wambua, who is a medical engineer, said they left the police station accompanied by officers.

NO ONE ADMINISTERED FIRST AID

The witness said that while at the police station, he never saw anyone administer first aid to the deceased, who he said was unconscious.

On Tuesday the inquest heard that an ambulance did not have a doctor on board when it went to pick up Mr Monson.

A nurse assistant at Palm Beach Hospital, Ms Saumu Hamisi, said in normal circumstances, after a request for an ambulance has been made, a doctor goes to check the patient.

Ms Hamisi said that she took a first aid kit and the doctor on duty went to check if everything in the ambulance was in order.

“We did not go to the police station with the doctor or nurse in charge,” said Ms Hamisi upon inquiry by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alexander Muteti.

The witness said Mr Monson was not talking, there was dry saliva around his mouth and he could not walk.

“In the ambulance, I did try to call him but there was no response. His pulse rate was low and his blood pressure was normal,” said Ms Hamisi.

On Monday, Monson’s mother emotionally recounted the events that preceded the death of her 28-year-old son.