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.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decided not to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York this year.
The president has thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation.
President Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trip to China and the United Kingdom, according to a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.
“At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings.”
“The high-level General Debate, with the theme ‘Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations,’ will run from Tuesday, September 24, through Saturday, September 28, 2024,” the statement added.
Since return to democratic governance in 199, Shettima will be the first Vice President to Nigeria’s delegation to UNGA.
Only Goodluck Jonathan represented Nigeria as Acting president in September 2010 at the 65th UNGA, while late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was away in Saudi Arabia due to his ill health.
The Plateau State House of Assembly, on Thursday, approved N5.8bn for the conduct of the local government election in the state slated for October 9, 2024.
The approval by the House followed a communication from Governor Caleb Mutfwang, which was read at plenary by the Assembly Speaker, Gabriel Dewan.
The Speaker stated that the request was necessary as there was no budgetary allocation for the LG elections in the 2024 budget.
A member of the State Assembly, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak for the Assembly, confirmed the development to The PUNCH in Jos on Thursday.
The lawmaker said, “Governor Mutfwang, at Tuesday’s plenary, sought the House’s approval for N5.7bn as the 2024 supplementary, which was increased after upward review by the legislators.”
He continued, “The House leader, Joseph Bukar, presented the bill during our plenary. While soliciting the support of members for speedy passage, he said PLASIEC was running out of time in preparation for the election.”
“In their individual contributions, Hon. Kalamu Dal suggested a downward review of the budget size, while Hon. Daniel Nanbol urged for a critical review and deliberations. Afterwards, members approved a revised sum of N5.8bn, as opposed to the N5.7bn requested.”
The increase, as explained by Bukar, was due to an increase in security allocation for the election, from N2.7m to N4.2m. “So, that is what happened, and that is where we are at the moment regarding the forthcoming LG election,” the lawmaker concluded.
Security measures have been intensified in Enugu and Kwara states ahead of their Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.
In Enugu State, the Police Command has pledged to ensure the safety of lives and properties during the elections.
However, the peace accord signing for the elections was marred by the absence of major parties like the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, and Labour Party.
Only representatives from the All Progressives Grand Alliance and Accord attended but chose not to sign the accord, citing the lack of participation from the leading parties.
Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, said all wards and flashpoints had been identified, and security personnel would be on high alert to prevent any disruptions.
The Chairman of the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Chris Ngwu, said the commission was fully prepared for the elections with the support of the state government in procuring necessary materials.
In Kwara State, security agencies have been actively coordinating to ensure a smooth electoral process.
Over 3,000 personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been deployed across the state.
The Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission has completed arrangements for a trouble-free election.
Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, reported that a strategic meeting with heads of various security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and others, had been held to ensure coordinated efforts for maintaining law and order.
The Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, guaranteed maximum security for the election period.
The NSCDC Commandant, Dr. Umar Mohammed, announced the deployment of 3,000 personnel to various polling units and emphasised their role in preventing violence, ballot snatching, and other disruptions.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, Telumun Tombowua, announced on Thursday that eight political parties will participate in the upcoming LG elections in the state, scheduled for October 5, 2024.
Addressing journalists in Makurdi, Tombowua said the election would be conducted fairly and transparently.
He emphasised that the law establishing the BSIEC does not permit the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation Machines for this election.
Regarding the APC, Tombowua confirmed that the National Working Committee of the party had requested the commission to work with the seven-man caretaker committee appointed to oversee party affairs in the state.
He noted that while 14 parties had initially shown interest, only eight completed the necessary processes and submitted their candidates.
Shettima becomes 1st VP to lead Nigeria’s delegation to UN Assembly in 25 yrs
Plateau Assembly approves N5.8bn for LG election
Enugu, Kwara tighten security ahead of LG polls
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
Nigerian Dancer, Korra Obidi Attacked with acid, stabbed on stage In UK
Meet Rare Gem 16 Years Old Chiaza, CEO of ‘RUN MARKET PLACE’
-
News17 hours agoSANUSI: Count me out of any plot to dethrone him — Ganduje cries out
-
News17 hours agoHardship! If Your Hubby Still Gives You 3 Square Meals, Shelter In This Economy, He’s a Responsible Man – Aisha Lawal
-
News13 hours agoRuns babe saved from a money ritu$list inside Abuja hotel
-
News20 hours agoNLC Alleges Fraud in NNPC, Dangote Refinery Dispute
-
News13 hours agoAbove Average Performance As NECO Releases 2024 June/July SSCE Results
-
Economy20 hours agoSEE Naira To Dollar Exchange Rate In Black Market Today – 19th September 2024
-
News13 hours agoMakinde Throws Weight Behind Damagun Amid Moves To Sack PDP Acting National Chairman
-
News7 hours agoHours to Edo guber polls, major opposition candidate crumbles structure for Ighodalo