Medical Director, Three Others Arraigned for Alleged Organ Harvesting at Alliance Hospital

Four individuals, including the Medical Director of Alliance Hospital, Christopher Otabor, were arraigned in the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Zuba, over allegations of organ harvesting.

According to reports, Otabor, alongside Emmanuel Olorunlaye, Chikaodili Ugochukwu, and Dr. Aremu Abayomi, faced 11 counts related to organ harvesting, as charged by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Prosecutors alleged that Olorunlaye facilitated the procurement of two 17-year-old boys and a 25-year-old man, Aminu Yahuza, for kidney removal procedures at Alliance Hospital in February 2023. Ugochukwu, an Administrative Secretary at the hospital, was accused of aiding in the kidney removal surgeries.

Furthermore, Otabor was implicated for accommodating the victims at Alliance Hospital, while Dr. Abayomi performed the operations. The charges brought against them contravene sections 20(2)(a)(3) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

During the arraignment, the defendants pleaded not guilty. Legal counsels representing the accused individuals moved for bail, with Mr. Richard Adeboju and Afam Osigwe, SAN, presenting arguments in support of their clients’ release.

While the prosecution did not oppose the bail application, they requested accelerated hearing of the case, citing Section 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

In her ruling, Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya granted bail to the defendants but ordered them to sign a daily register at NAPTIP headquarters, deposit their travel documents with the court’s registrar, and comply with specified conditions, warning of bail revocation if these conditions were violated.

The judge adjourned the matter for accelerated hearing, scheduling proceedings from May 6 to May 9, with further hearings on May 13.