News
Nigerian Doctor Caught Pants Down With Patient In Hospital Toilet
A Nigerian doctor in the United Kingdom, UK, Ewere Onyikpe, accused of having s3x with a patient in a hospital’s toilet cubicle, has been suspended for an additional six months.
According to a report by Premium Times, Onyikpe is said to have begun a s3xual relationship with the woman while employed as a locum registrar at the Whittington Hospital, London.
The online newspaper earlier reported in 2023 how the Medical Practitioners Tribunal of the General Medical Council (MPT of the GMC) – a medical regulatory body in the UK, imposed a sanction of a six-month suspension on the suspect’s practising licence after he was found guilty by an investigative tribunal.
Having completed the six-month suspension, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) appealed against the MPT’s decision before a UK court on the ground that it failed to take into account the vulnerability of the patient within the allegation.
However, a tribunal hearing in February reconsidered the case. It determined that Mr Onyekpe’s registration should be suspended for 12 months having been found guilty of misconduct which was later reduced to six months to reflect the suspension already served.
The details of the case and decisions of the tribunal chaired by Tanveer Rakhim are highlighted in a 61-page document exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES after the hearing held from 12 February to 29 February.
How it happened
The tribunal heard that the suspect, a Nigerian-born medical doctor, examined the patient after she was brought to the Whittington Hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department by ambulance on 5 June 2020.
He made a diagnosis of sciatica and prescribed pain-killing medication for her and had an “intimate examination” which was considered to be appropriate.
It was Mr Onyekpe’s “unchallenged evidence” that before the patient left the hospital, she gave him her telephone number on a piece of paper saying ‘in case you want to be friends or anything’.
Mr Onyikpe allegedly sent the patient a WhatsApp message an hour after she was discharged from A&E and the pair exchanged messages over the coming days.
On 10 June, she was brought back to Whittington’s emergency department where she exchanged messages with the doctor for three-and-a-half hours which became “personal and highly s3xualised.”
The pair allegedly had consensual sexual intercourse in the hospital’s toilet cubicle that same day, the tribunal heard. The next day, Mr Onyekpe went to the patient’s home and again had consensual s3x with her.
The tribunal further heard that the pair continued to exchange sexual messages, interspersed with medical advice from Mr Onyekpe, until 24 July 2020.
On 3 August 2020, Mr Onyekpe was arrested on suspicion of raping the patient but the police released him without charge, after which GMC found out about the facts of his arrest.
Demands for erasure from medical records
The representative of the medical regulatory body, Rosalind Emsley-Smith, submitted at the tribunal that the appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was one of erasure.
Ms Emsley-Smith stated that Mr Onyekpe had admitted the majority of the allegations he faced before the tribunal and the totality of the allegations he had faced before a previous tribunal.
About the aggravating factors of the case, Ms Emsley-Smith submitted that Mr Onyekpe used his position as a doctor to pursue a sexual and improper emotional relationship with the “vulnerable” patient.
Ms Emsley-Smith submitted that the only way to remedy the damage to the reputation of the profession, which she said had occurred as a consequence of Mr Onyekpe’s decisions and conduct, would be to erase his name from the medical register.
However, in his defence, the doctor’s representative, James Counsell, submitted that Mr Onykpe accepts responsibility for his misconduct, reminding the tribunal that it occurred nearly four years ago.
Mr Counsell submitted that Mr Onykpe has always acknowledged that “his behaviour transgressed professional boundaries and that he had let everybody down, including himself, his family and his colleagues.”
He stated that Mr Onyekpe was a family man with a supportive wife and referred to the various testimonials that spoke of him as a man with integrity.
Mr Counsell stated that the GMC accepted that the relationship was entirely consensual. He referred to the rape allegation and Mr Onyekpe’s arrest in the presence of his wife, as well as the investigation by the GMC and the Trust, and how he cooperated with the entire process.
After the submissions, the tribunal concluded that Mr Onykpe’s conduct, spanning seven weeks, demonstrated a failure to prioritise the care of the patient, “who was vulnerable at all material times.”
Tribunal’s decision, conclusion
The tribunal concluded that the misconduct was adequately addressed with the substantive suspension, adding that it is not necessary to impose an immediate order of suspension on Mr Onyekpe’s registration.
“This means that Mr Onykpe’s registration will be suspended from the medical register 28 days from the date on which written notification of this decision is deemed to have been served unless he lodges an appeal,” the tribunal noted.
“If Mr Onykpe does lodge an appeal he will remain free to practice unrestricted until the outcome of any appeal is known.
“For the same reasons, the tribunal also determined to revoke the interim order of conditions with immediate.
…conceals Body Under Bed
A young woman allegedly poisoned her boyfriend to d3ath for cheating on her in Iyo Polo community, Marine Base, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was gathered that after k!lling the deceased, she hid his body under the bed inside his room for three days.
According to local reports, residents of the area became suspicious after noticing a foul odor emanating from the victim’s residence.
Concerned neighbors attempted to reach the deceased but received no response.
Their suspicions grew when they observed the suspect acting strangely and refusing entry into the apartment.
Upon notifying law enforcement, officers arrived at the scene and forced their way into the room, where they discovered the decomposing body of the victim.
The suspect was immediately arrested and taken into police custody for further investigation.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the motive behind the alleged m8rder.
However, preliminary findings suggest that the incident may have stemmed from a domestic dispute.
A group of protesters have converged on the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja, calling for the suspension of Professor Abayomi Fasina as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), to allow proper investigation into sexual harassment allegation.
Protesters armed with placards-bearing slogans such as ‘Ekiti Deserves Better’ and ‘Protect Our Women,’ argued that the Vice-Chancellor cannot remain in office while facing investigation for sexual harassment allegations.
The embattled VC has been under investigations over allegations made in a leaked voice note regarding a sexual harassment case against one of his married subordinates.
Speaking to journalists after submitting a petition to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the leader of the protesters under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations Against Corruption, Victor Adetola, said suspending the VC would give room for thorough investigations into the matter.
Adetola said: “We have looked at the developing story that has been going on in that university as an organisation that is fronting for the welfare of Nigerian students and the community or the educational community generally.
“The issue will be festering if there is no thorough investigation, and we need that place to be sanitised. Honestly, currently there is a disciplinary action investigation that is going on that was first given a three-week ultimatum.
“After that, they requested for another three weeks ultimatum, even inclusive of the governing council. And for the past six months, nothing has been done. We see that a lot of undiagnosed, a lot of corruption has been festering.
“In fact, one of the most critical issues happening is the sexual harassment that has happened to one of the married assistant directors in that school.
“Specifically, it’s necessary that the leader of the university steps down first, or the governing council relieves him of that position first, so that independent investigation can be carried out on all the petitions that we have written.”
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has distanced itself from the purported appointment by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Justice Theophilus Nnamdi Nzeukwu as the acting Chief Judge of Imo State.
The NJC, in a statement by its Deputy Director (Information), Mrs. Kemi Ogendengbe said it was yet to consider a request by Uzodinma to appoint Justice Nzeukwu, who is currently number four in the hierarchy of judges’ seniority in Imo State High Court.
The statement reads: “The attention of the council has been drawn to the news making rounds that the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, had purportedly appointed Hon. Justice Theophilus Nnamdi Nzeukwu, who is number four in the hierarchy of judges seniority in Imo State High Court, as the acting Chief Judge of the state, in view of the recent disciplinary action taken against the erstwhile Chief Judge of the state.
“The National Judicial Council, by this press release, wants to clarify to the public that the Governor of Imo State had earlier written to the council requesting for its approval to appoint Hon. Justice Theophilus Nnamdi Nzeukwu, who is number four in the hierarchy of seniority as acting Chief Judge of the state.
“The governor in his said correspondence to the council, gave reasons why in his own view, the three most senior judges are not appointable.
“The council is informing the public that the said letter is yet to be considered, as deliberation on the request is slated for the next council meeting, which is scheduled to hold on 29th and 30th April, 2025.
“The council is therefore, by this press release, informing the public that the governor’s request is yet to be considered by the council.
“The council has not given approval to the governor for the appointment of the acting Chief Judge.
“The council is not a party to the process of the purported appointment of Hon. Justice Theophilus Nnamdi Nzeukwu as the acting Chief Judge.”
The NJC had, at its 107th meeting held between November 13 and 14, 2024 recommended the compulsory retirement of the then Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka over alleged age falsification.
It said Justice Chikeka was recommended to the Imo State Governor for compulsory retirement with effect from October 27, 2021, with all salaries and allowances the judge received in excess from the said date refunded to the council.
The NJC added: “The recommendation was pursuant to the findings of the Council that His Lordship has two different dates of birth: 27 October 1956 and 27 October 1958.
“However, 27 October 1956 appeared to be the consistent date of birth, but in 2006, the Chief Judge swore to an affidavit changing the date of birth to 27 October 1958.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch has expressed serious concerns over the appointment.
Speaking after swearing in the new Acting Chief Judge, Governor Uzodimma recalled the disgraceful manner the former Chief Judge was removed from office by the NJC, and the events that followed thereafter, and warned against a repeat of what he described as “dishonourable incident where a Chief Judge is suddenly removed from office for such an ugly indictment of age falsification.”
Reacting to the appointment, the NBA urged Governor Uzodimma to adhere to due process in the appointment of a new Chief Judge, emphasising the importance of following established protocols to ensure transparency and legitimacy.
According to the NBA, Nzeukwu’s appointment violates the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that the most senior judge of the High Court should be appointed as Acting Chief Judge in the event of a vacancy.
“We insist that due process must be followed in the appointment of the Acting Chief Judge,” Chairman of the NBA Owerri Branch, Chief Chris U. Ihentuge and the Secretary, Daniel O. Odiba, said in a statement yesterday.
According to the statement: “If the most senior judge or judges were bypassed, the rationale for this deviation must be immediately justified.”
Failure to do so, they warned, will further erode public confidence in the judiciary.
The NBA demands that Governor Uzodimma takes immediate action to address this situation and reverse the appointment, which they deem inconsistent with the Constitution.
The statement reads in part: “The Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch demands that the Governor should, immediately, take steps to address this situation and reverse this action which is inconsistent with the Constitution. Failure to do so will further erode public confidence in the judiciary at a time when trust in our institutions is already fragile. The Bar shall also take all steps necessary in the circumstance.
“The Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch, reiterates that it has no interest in any particular individual holding the office of the Chief Judge, but it is deeply committed to the protection of due process, the rule of law, and the sanctity of the Constitution.
“The NBA Owerri Branch has communicated its concerns to the Imo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), Imo State Chapter, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of Imo State, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, and the National Judicial Council (NJC).”
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