Operatives of Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos, have arrested the owner of De-Akasten Global Limited, Ikeja, Mr Stephen Akazue for alleged organ harvesting in 2018. He was alleged to have deceived 42-year-old mechanic Chimaobi Eric Nwoko into donating his kidney to save his younger brother, Osinachi. The victim, Chimaobi, alleged that the suspect promised to compensate him with 20 million dollars, a house in the United States, and a job.
Recounting how he lost his left kidney, Chimaobi Eric Nwoko, a native of Umuahia in Abia State, said he was convinced that 20 million dollars and a house were waiting for him after the operation.
In his words, “I was a mechanic before I was recruited by Mr. Steven Company in Ikeja as a driver in November 2018. I was assigned to drive his brother, Osinachi. He was sick, and it was my responsibility to take him to hospitals for dialysis.
Two weeks later, he came back and asked to see me in his office. He thanked me for taking care of his brother and said that Osinachi had a few days to die. He asked me to donate, and I expressed my fears. He asked me to kneel and said he would pray for me. He took an oil and rubbed on my head while he prayed in his local dialect.
He said he would give me 20 million dollars and a house in the US. He also assured me that when I get to the US, there will be a standby job for me as a heavy truck driver.
I was so excited that my life would change for the better. They took me and Osinachi to the hospital, and they did a series of tests. The doctor said that my kidney was a perfect match.
On the agreed date, I was admitted for three days in preparation for the surgery. After the surgery, I was given drugs, which I took for about a week while Mr. Steve rented a room for me at Mowe in Ogun State. Since then, to date, no drugs or any kind of treatment have been given to me.”
According to Chimaobi, he got out of his life when his boss, Mr. Stephen, called to tell him to resume work. “I was shocked and asked him if this was part of the deal. He assured me that he would keep to it but that I should resume work as a driver. He placed me on a N70,000 salary a month and warned that my salary would be deducted if I failed to come to work. I thought it was a joke, but he kept punishing me even if I was sick. I suffered so much, but I kept believing that one day he would keep his promise.
It was weeks after I received a call from my mother that I decided to open up. She alerted my sibling, and we reported the matter at the police station, zone 2.”
On how he was able to give consent before the surgery, Chimaobi said he was asked to present Deborah, his sister, to his boss as his wife. “I was told that my family will kick against it, so I need to agree with whatever I am told.
She was the one who signed as my wife before the surgery was done. They gave me documents to sign both in the hospital and Mr. Stephen’s office. Mr. Stephen said that there was no need to read the document. I was hungry, and coming from a very poor family, my wish was that giving my kidney in exchange for compensation would change my life and that of my family.
I am only asking Mr. Stephen to pay me the compensation he promised so that I can survive with the only kidney left. His brother is very healthy now, while I am dying.”
Sad at the state of his son’s health, Mrs. Gloria Nwoko became worried when his son moved out of the house with the excuse that he got better accommodation in Mowe. She said, ” He is an adult, and I don’t need to keep following him around. I prayed for him all these years, and whenever I saw him, he would act as if all was well. He was losing so much weight, and I assumed it was the demands of his job as a driver. On “October 13, he called and told me the truth. I am only asking Mr. Steve to help my son survive like his own brother. It is evil for him to use my son and abandon him to die. I know that we are poor; the AIG Zone 2 will help us get justice.”
Describing the act as a crime, Barrister Tony Dania, counsel to the victim, said that the victim was deceived into giving consent, which makes it theft.
He said, “It is a case of kidney theft because the kidney of the victim was taken deceitfully. The victim was Nwoke. He works with Mr. Stephen Akazue, MD of De-Akasten Global Limited, Ikeja. Steven was abroad when he gave instructions that his brother should be driving Osinachi Akazue. He was having a kidney problem. Stephen approached the victim to donate his kidney for his younger brother Osinachi.
The victim expressed fear, and he made promises, including 20 million dollars and a trip to America to stay. The victim expressed fear that she might die.
and Stephen brought out oil, robbed his head, and prayed for him in their language. They took him to a popular hospital (St. Nicholas), and Mr. Stephen’s younger sister, Deborah Akazue, acted as the wife of the victim.
According to the victim, Dr. Gbagboye did the operation on December 22, 2018. After the operation, he was discharged. His boss, Stephen, rented an apartment for him and asked him to stay away from the family. It was two weeks ago that he opened up to his mother.
A good Samaritan took them to Zone 2 command, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police detailed his men, led by Mr. Ifeanyi, and arrested Mr. Stephen.
“This is stealing someone’s organ. If they made a promise, they should keep it. He should pay N500 million to the victim. We want the Nigerian police to see it as a test case and do their best. Organ sales are illegal and criminal. The person donating should give consent, and there are procedures to get consent. Deboarh is not the wife of the victim, and he signed as one. This is a clear case of forgery.
“You need donor consent for any surgery, and if that consent is obtained by deceit and if there is evidence of a deliberate deceit, In this case, he signed a document in an office; he did not read what he signed both at Mr. Stephen’s office and the hospital. The boss had told him to just say yes, so he did not ask questions. Also, they got their junior sister, Deborah, to pose and act as the wife of the victim. If the consent was obtained by deceit, then the consent cannot hold.”
What poverty cannot do does not exist.