The Medical Director of Alliance Hospital, Dr. Christopher Otabor, along with three others, have found themselves in the dock before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Monday, March 18, 2024, facing charges related to alleged organ harvesting.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) brought the prosecution against Dr. Otabor, Emmanuel Olorunlaye, Chikaodili Ugochukwu, and Dr. Aremu Abayomi on 11 counts associated with organ harvesting.
Hassan Tahir, the Prosecution Counsel, asserted before Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya that Olorunlaye had arranged for the kidney removal of two individuals, aged 17 and 25 respectively, at Alliance Hospital situated in Area 11, Garki, Abuja, in February 2023. He alleged that Ugochukwu, functioning as an Administrative Secretary at the hospital, facilitated the illegal surgeries, while Dr. Otabor provided accommodation for the victims at Alliance Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Abayomi, a surgeon at the hospital, was accused of performing the surgeries.
The charges leveled against the defendants fall under sections 20(2)(a)(3) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, which carry significant penalties.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, the defendants entered pleas of not guilty. Richard Adeboju, representing Olorunlaye, swiftly moved a motion for bail pursuant to Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), supported by an affidavit and written address.
Similarly, Afam Osigwe, SAN, representing the other defendants, filed a bail application seeking their release, citing their compliance with previous administrative bail conditions set by NAPTIP.
In response, the Prosecution Counsel did not oppose the bail applications but urged the court to expedite the hearing process.
In her ruling, Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya clarified that administrative bail becomes ineffective upon arraignment. She ordered the defendants to sign in daily at NAPTIP headquarters, effective March 19, 2024, except on days when the court proceedings were scheduled. Furthermore, the defendants were instructed to surrender their travel documents to the court registrar and were warned of consequences should they fail to comply.
The trial was adjourned for accelerated hearing from May 6 to May 9, with subsequent hearings scheduled for May 13. The case has drawn significant attention and is anticipated to proceed with intense scrutiny in the coming days.
