Doctors Arraigned In Court Over Forgery, Others

An Enugu Magistrate Court headed by Emma Nwaeru has adjourned to October 28, further hearing on the case of alleged fraud and bribery against four medical doctors of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu.

The accused doctors, including Prof. Stanley Anyanwu, Basil Ezeanolue, Ufuegbunam M. Paul and Humphery Azubuike Ezike, who are also members of the management board of the hospital, are facing six count charges of official corruption, bribery and forgery.

They were accused of swindling a contractor to the tune of N3 million as well as using their position to compel the said contractor to supply dilapidated and antiquated medical equipment to enable them share over N600 million approved for the purchase of new ones among other criminal activities.

The matter could not go on at the magistrate court when it came up, even when three of the accused persons had entered the dock, following the absence of one of the accused, Prof. Anyanwu, in court on medical grounds. The three accused present in court could not also take their plea.

The court was presented with a medical report indicating that Anyanwu took ill and could not be present in court to answer the charges preferred against him.

Consequently, Magistrate Emma Nwaeru adjourned the matter till October 28, 2009 for plea and possible hearing.

Before the adjournment however, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nduka Ikeyi, who was represented in court by a senior legal officer in the Justice Ministry, Mr. Paul Ugwueze, applied under the statutes of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to take over the matter from the Police Prosecutor from Zone 9 Umuahia, F.E.Orji, a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Magistrate Nwaeru however, told him to communicate such application in writing for proper documentation and forward it on October 28, when the matter would resume matter.

The four doctors were said to have committed the alleged crimes in July 2006. Part of the six -count charge against the accused persons reads as follows: "That you, professor Stanley Anyanwu M, Dr Basil Ezeanolue M, Dr Ufuegbulam Paul M, Dr Humphery Ezike and one other now at large, in July 2006, at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, you did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit official corruption and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 495 (a) of the Criminal Code cap 30 revised laws of Enugu State 2004.