An Abuja-based private hospital, Alliance Hospital Service Ltd, and four of its staff have been arraigned at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on an 11-count charge bothering on suspected involvement in organ harvesting.
The offence violates the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition), Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
The court presided over by Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya, unveiled disturbing allegations against the defendants.
The prosecution, represented by the Director of Legal and Prosecution at NAPTIP, told the court that between February and May 2023, the accused allegedly participated in the illicit extraction of kidneys from three young males, including two minors.
Upon hearing the charges, defendants Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, Chikaodili Ugochukwu, Dr. Christopher Otabor, Dr. Aremu Abayomi, and Alliance Hospital, collectively pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge leveled against them.
Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya, while granting bail to the defendants ahead of the scheduled trial that will commence on May 6th, imposed stringent conditions.
These conditions include mandatory daily reporting to the NAPTIP office in Abuja, beginning from March 19th, with exceptions granted only on days of court proceedings.
Additionally, the Judge ordered the defendants to surrender their travel documents.
Responding to the bail granted the defendants Tahir, the Counsel representing NAPTIP, expressed the agency’s commitment to expeditious proceedings, emphasising the gravity of the charges.
He averred that the agency had filed comprehensive charges against the accused, encompassing the hospital and its implicated staff.
Tahir underscored the necessity for accelerated hearings to swiftly address the matter and ensure justice.
Speaking to journalists on the court proceedings, Tahir reiterated the importance of due process while reaffirming NAPTIP’s dedication to combating such egregious offenses.
He also pointed out the imperative of expeditious legal proceedings to adjudicate the case thoroughly.
The forthcoming trial underscores the significance of addressing allegations of organ harvesting, underscoring the imperative of swift justice to uphold the sanctity of human rights and deter such heinous activities in the future.
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