By Olukayode Idowu
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, has ordered the defendants to go back to court and defend themselves in the ongoing case of organ harvesting instituted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) against the CEO of Alliance Hospital, Dr. Christopher Otabor, and three others.
In the suit the Federal Government of Nigeria Vs Alliance Hospital & Services, NAPTIP had arraigned the 51-year-old, Dr. Christopher Otabor, and three others before a High Court of the FCT sitting at Zuba, presided over by Hon. Justice Ogbonnaya, for alleged organ (kidney) harvest on March 18, 2024.
Arraigned with him are Emmanuel Olorunlaye, male (36 years), Chikaodili Ugochukwu, Female (37 years), and Dr. Aremu Abayomi, male (43 years).
Currently on court bail the defendants have been ordered to report to NAPTIP Headquarters in Abuja daily and surrender their travel documents to the court.
Their arraignment followed months of thorough investigation during when a prima facie case was established against them, implicating them in varying degrees of culpability for offences related to organ harvesting, as stipulated under section 20 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
The aggrieved Medical Doctor, Christopher Otabor had sought redress at the National Assembly challenging his detention by the agency during the investigative process through a petition to the House Committee on Public Petitions.
The Committee in exercise of its legislative duties, subsequently invited the Management of NAPTIP to appear before it last Thursday.
In his brief submission, the Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of NAPTIP, Mr. Hassan Tahir, informed the Committee that the matter was subjudice as the case was already pending before a court of competent jurisdiction and all the defendants including the petitioner had already taken their plea, with the trial scheduled to begin on May 6, 2024.
Ruling on the matter, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mike Etaba, told the complainant to go back to the court and face the charges before him ultimately dismissing the petition.
NAPTIP, in a statement by its Communication Officer, Vincent Adekoye said: “This decision reinforces the commitment to due process and legal proceedings in addressing serious allegations such as organ harvesting.”
