Family rejects autopsy report on SA journalist's death in Egypt

Members of the family of the late South African Journalist, Yadhana Jadoo who died in Cairo early this year while attending a training programme, say they are dissatisfied with an autopsy report blaming alcohol for her death.

According to the report released last week, Ms Jadoo died from methyl alcohol poisoning, which consequently led to multiple vital organ collapse.

The 34-year-old journalist died while attending a three week training programme organised by the Union of African Journalists in Cairo in Egypt.

Ms Jadoo was until her untimely death on Wednesday April 25, 2018 a news editor at The Citizen newspaper in South Africa.

Methyl alcohol poisoning
Methyl alcohol poisoning is an uncommon but an extremely hazardous poisoning. It most commonly occurs via oral ingestion of illicit or adulterated liquors or as ethanol substitution.

Initial symptoms generally occur 12-24 hours after ingestion and symptoms include central nervous system depression, headache, dizziness, nausea, lack of coordination, and confusion. Sufficiently large doses cause unconsciousness and death.

The report ruled out foul play.

Family’s reaction

But speaking to Graphic Online, the family of the late South African Journalist believes she was killed to be silenced.

“We definitely believe it was a set up to silence her”, her mother Mrs Devika Jadoo told this reporter.

Davika who questioned the autopsy report, said she strongly suspects that something evil may have happened to her daughter.

According to messages she sent to her family, Jadoo said she felt unsafe in the country and was wishing to return home.

 “Why did Yadz send out voice notes and messages saying she felt unsafe? Why did she say that she wanted to come home? And that if we don't hear from her in 24hrs we must call the embassy?”

“Obviously they knew that Yadz knew that something was very wrong!... because she sent those messages to the Egyptian embassy and the South Africa embassy as well....The Egyptian spokesperson in SA, Ayman Walash, knew of Yadz feeling unsafe there. After the Monday night's episode at the hotel and arranged for her room to be changed.....He was in contact with Yadz all the time reassuring her that she’s safe” the aggrieved mother stated.

Mother’s pain

Devika who had not recovered from the shock of the death of her eldest daughter said, “Only a mother can know this horrible pain of when your child is hurting. But losing your child to death and not knowing how … that is an indescribable feeling”.

“This whole autopsy report is an absolute disgrace. First they said it looked like she was poisoned, then they said she went into a diabetic coma, and now it is methanol poisoning”.

“The final report that we received prior to two previous preliminary reports....where they said it was poisoning....then they said that she died because she went into a diabetic coma...and....now after months we get a stupid little paragraph....with the report that says.....Yadz died of methanol poisoning” she emphasised.

Devika said her daughter who was the best South African Journalist of the year 2017 deserves better, adding the Yadz as she calls her daughter, was no ordinary journalist.

She added that she was disappointed to have heard about her daughter’s death from a colleague journalist on the same programme, Justin Emedot, as she received no call from the Egyptian embassy or the African Journalists’ Union.

“Justin had to reach out to us on Facebook. We only found out about her death that afternoon. This does not give us any closure, but gives us more reasons to investigate what happened to Yadz.”

Devika questioned the motive of a claim in the report that said her daughter's roommate while in Egypt, a Ghanaian journalist, was not with her when she passed. “And that her roommate was not there at that time! Who asked if the roommate was there or not? They are obviously hiding the truth of what happened...to Yadz”, Ms Jadoo’s mum quipped.

The younger sister of late Yadhana, Ms Vedharshi Jadoo said the death of her sister was not natural, adding that Yadhana was a fit woman.

She re-echoed the family's rejection of the autopsy report.

“After being very patient and understanding and waiting almost seven months for a final report, it’s very disturbing that this report has left us with more questions than answers,” she lamented.

The Jadoo family has consequently called on the Union of African Journalists and the Egyptian Government help uncover what led to the death of their daughter.