The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arraigned a 51-year-old prominent Abuja-based medical practitioner, Dr. Christopher Otabor, and three others before a High Court of the FCT sitting at Zuba, presided over by Hon. Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya, for an alleged organ (Kidney) harvest.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Adekoye Vincent, the defendant is the CEO of Alliance Hospital, located in the Garki area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, which has been enmeshed in the alleged organ harvest controversy since the past year, involving some victims.
He said: “Arraigned with him are Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, male (36 years), Chikaodili Ugochukwu, female (37 years), and Dr. Aremu Abayomi, male (43 years).
Following months of thorough investigation, a prima facie case was established against the defendants, implicating them in varying degrees of culpability for offenses related to organ removal, as stipulated under Section 20 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
“They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Based on the bail application submitted by counsels to the defendants, the defendants have been ordered to report to the corporate headquarters of NAPTIP, Abuja, on a daily basis with effect from March 19, 2024, and to also deposit their travel documents with the court.
“The judge also granted the request of counsels in the case for an accelerated hearing and subsequently adjourned to May 6th–9th and 13th–16th, 2024, for the commencement of the trial.”
