Court adjourns trial of Lagos surgeon over alleged failed plastic operation
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday adjourned the trial of a surgeon, Dr. Anuoluwapo Adepoju, charged with evasion from investigation into an alleged failed plastic surgery.
The defendant is charged alongside her clinic, MedContour Services Limited on five counts bordering on refusal to honour an invitation for investigation and failure to produce investigation documents.
She was arraigned on July 3 alongside her medical outfit before Justice Mohammed Liman.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) had in April sealed the medical outfit, a plastic surgery hospital over suspicions of illegal activities.
The FCCPC had also in April posted on its official Twitter handle that it had commenced an investigation into a case of failed plastic surgery performed by the first defendant, Anuoluwapo in her hospital.
After the defendants were arraigned on July 3, the court fixed July 8 for prosecution to open its case.
The prosecutor, who is also the Director-General of the FCCPC, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, told the court that he had only two witnesses to call.
However, the case could not proceed on Thursday as scheduled. The court did not sit. A new date for trial will be communicated to parties.
In the five-count charge, the prosecution alleged that without sufficient cause, the first defendant failed to appear before the FCCPC in compliance with the commission’s summons dated April 15.
The prosecution also alleged that the first defendant failed to produce documents which she was required to produce in compliance with the commission’s notice of investigation dated April 14, adding that the first defendant obstructed the commission from carrying out its investigation into the said issue.
The alleged offences, it said contravene the provisions of Sections 11(1)(a), 33(1)(a), 110, 113(1)(a) and 159(4) of the FCCPC Act, 2018.
The defendant however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts. The court granted her bail on self- recognition and overruled a preliminary objection by the defence, challenging the charge against the defendants.
Why Nigerian must diversify, reverse over-dependence on oil -Expert
The judge upheld the submissions of the prosecution that the criminal jurisdiction of the Federal High Court was activated by the provisions of Sections 251(f) of the constitution.
