Police arraign doctor over danger to teenager’s life

The Chief Medical Director of Excel Medical Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, Dr Ejike Orji, has been docked before an Igbosere chief magistrate court, Lagos, on a count charge of endangering the life of a teenager, 16-year-old Somitochukwu Ezi-Ashi. Orji, whose hospital is situated at Plot 45, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, was alleged to have […]

The Chief Medical Director of Excel Medical Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, Dr Ejike Orji, has been docked before an Igbosere chief magistrate court, Lagos, on a count charge of endangering the life of a teenager, 16-year-old Somitochukwu Ezi-Ashi.
Orji, whose hospital is situated at Plot 45, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, was alleged to have endangered the victim’s life by using a saw blade to remove Plastic of Paris (POP) from the Ezi-Achi’s leg on July 24, 2018, which was said to have led to a deep cut in the leg.
The boy was said to have sustained a serious injury on his leg while playing basketball and was consequently rushed to Excel Medical Centre for immediate attention.
The medical doctor, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Inspector Amedu Adoga, told the court on Friday that the police arrested the defendant following a petition received from the victim’s parents, Mr and Mrs Isioma Ezi-Ashi that the defendant carried out an orthopaedic operation on their son without their consent.
Adoga also told the court that after the operation, the boy complained of discomfort and asked that the POP placed on his leg be relaxed, but that the defendant refused, resulting in the victim becoming unconscious and was subsequently rushed to Reddington Hospital, Lagos, where he was immediately taken to the theatre.
The prosecutor added that it was at Reddington Hospital that it was discovered that the defendant, at his Excel Medical Centre, had used a saw blade to cut the POP on Ezi-Achi’s leg, and in the process, “severely damaging the muscles in the lower part of his leg, foot and toes, with wide open sores that were at the initial stage of becoming compartmentalised.”
He also told the court that due to the development, the boy had undergone four major surgeries.
Following the critical condition of the patient, the court heard, a team of two orthopedic surgeons from the United States of America had to evacuate the dead muscle in a major struggle to save the boy’s life.
Meanwhile, Master Ezi-Ashi has been flown to the United States of America for further medical attention.
Orji’s lawyer, Mr K.C. Okho, urged the court to discountenance all that was said by the prosecutor, saying that it would be premature for the prosecutor to go into the merit of the matter as his client was yet to be served with the charge.
Okho disclosed that the defendant had been the boy’s doctor from his childhood and could not have committed the alleged offence.
He, therefore, urged the court to admit the defendant to bail on most liberal terms.
Magistrate O. O. Otitoju granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum.
Otitoju ordered that each of the sureties must be resident in Lagos State and be workers for responsible organisations acceptable to the court.
The case was subsequently adjourned till September 26, 2018.