Organ Trafficking: NAPTIP Arraigns Alliance Hospital, Medical Director, Others

• Christopher Otabor and three others faced arraignment at the FCT High Court in Abuja on charges related to alleged organ harvesting
• The defendants, including hospital staff, are accused of offenses committed between February and May 2023 at Alliance Hospital

Christopher Otabor, the Medical Director of Alliance Hospital, along with three others, including members of the hospital staff, faced arraignment at the FCT High Court in Zuba, Abuja, on Monday, on charges related to alleged organ harvesting.

The defendants, Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, Chikaodili Ugochukwu, Dr. Christopher Otabor, Dr. Aremu Abayomi, and Alliance Hospital and Services Limited, are facing an 11-count charge under Section 20 (2) a and (3) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the accused allegedly committed the offenses between February and May 2023 at Dr. Otabor’s hospital, Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Abuja.

NAPTIP’s prosecuting counsel and Director of Legal and Prosecution, Hassan Tahir, alleged that Emmanuel Olorunlaye facilitated the removal of kidneys from victims aged 17 and 25 at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd in Area 11, Garki, Abuja.

Chikaodili Ugochukwu, an Administrative Secretary at the hospital, is accused of assisting in the kidney removal procedures, while Dr. Aremu Abayomi, a surgeon at Alliance Hospital and Service Ltd, is alleged to have performed the operations.

Following the reading of the charge sheet, the accused pleaded not guilty.

The defense counsels, Mr. Richard Adeboju and Afam Osigwe, SAN, moved motions for bail for the defendants. Adeboju sought bail pursuant to Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), while Osigwe filed a bail application seeking an order admitting the defendants to bail.

Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya granted bail to the defendants, stipulating that they must report daily at NAPTIP headquarters and deposit their travel documents with the court’s registrar. Failure to comply may result in the revocation of bail.

The judge also ordered accelerated hearings on the matter, scheduling the next court dates for May 6 to 9 and 13 to 16.

NAPTIP counsel and Director of Legal and Prosecution, Hassan Tahir, expressed confidence in obtaining justice after the arraignment.