The scheduled trial of a Lagos-based cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Anuoluwapo Adepoju, whose services allegedly resulted in the death of one Mrs. Nneka Onwuzuligbo, was stalled on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Lagos as the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Liman, did not sit.

The court’s registrar said the case had been adjourned till a date to be fixed later.

Adepoju was arraigned last Friday on five counts and was accused of blocking a probe into the circumstances leading to her client’s death.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which is prosecuting the surgeon, accused her of shunning summons to appear before it and produce certain documents.

Adepoju was charged alongside her hospital, Med Contour Services Limited.

In a six-paragraph affidavit of completion of investigation attached to the charge sheet, the FCCPC said it received complaints against Adepoju from one Marlene Oluwakemi, Taiwo Temilade and Vivian Onwuzuligbo that the surgeon’s services

are unsafe for consumers,

and that she also made

false, misleading and deceptive representation in relation to the marketing of her services.

It stated,

In particular, the above-mentioned Vivian Onwuzuligbo, a member of the Mrs. Nnneka Miriam Barbara Onwuzuligbo (now deceased) family, died as a result of the defendants’ failed cosmetic surgery and she is privy to the events that led to the demise of the deceased.

The prosecuting counsel for the FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, said the incidents happened between April 15 and May 4, 2020, at No. 11a Ladi Alakija Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Irukera said Adepoju acted contrary to sections 33(3)(a) and 113(4)(a) of the FCCPC Act, 2018, and was liable to be punished under sections 33(3) and 113(1) of the same Act, among others.

But Adepoju pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.