The fathers of two of the teenagers whose kidneys were removed by a hospital have testified that they did not give consent to the operation.
Salaudeen Sulaimon Adedoyin and Musa Yahaya, the fathers of Oluwatobi Salaudeen Adedoyin and Yahaya Musa, respectively, testified on Wednesday before an FCT High Court in Zuba in the ongoing trial of four staff of Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd accused of the offences.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) arraigned Dr Christopher Otabor, Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, Chikaodili Ugochukwu and Dr Aremu Abayomi in an 11-count charge bordering on illegal organ harvesting.
Daily Trust first exposed organ trading activities in parts of Abuja and Nasarawa State after an investigation and interviews with victims.
Salaudeen Adedoyin, who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Hassan Dahiru Esq., said when he met the defendants for the first in the office of the Commissioner of Police at the FCT Command Headquarters, the CP asked whether he was aware of the operation that was performed on his son and he answered in the negative.
He said the CP asked if the hospital sought the permission of any of the child’s family members and if they could produce the member but they could not answer him.
He said Dr Otabor met him outside the CP’s office and requested he withdrew the case while offering to sponsor the child’s education and cater for him as well and he replied that any settlement would have to be tabled before his family members.
“He (Dr Otabor) told me that someone can live with one kidney for the rest of their lives. I said I gave birth to him with two kidneys and I wanted it to be preserved that way. I said I want justice for the boy,” he said.
Under cross-examination by Osigwe, Salaudeen said his son told him he didn’t read the contents of the affidavits and consent form he signed which claimed he was 18 and accepted to donate his kidney to one Samson Egbuson, identified as his uncle.
He added that his son was born in September 2006.
The case was adjourned to May 9.(Daily Trust)
