Court Frees Enugu Heart Surgeon of Alleged Corruption

Justice Reuben Odugu of an Enugu State High Court sitting in Enugu, has discharged and acquitted a former Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Professor Martin Aghaji, of alleged corruption charges preferred against him by Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The ICPC had accused Aghaji, who specialises in open heart surgery, of demanding and receiving gratification in the course of discharging his official duties.

Aghaji, was subsequently arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on administrative corruption, extortion and conferring corrupt advantages on himself, following a petition written by an undisclosed Petitioner.

The anti-graft agency, said the offences as contained in the suit number E/37C/2010, violated Sections 8 and 19, and are punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

According to the Commission, Aghaji had sometime in 2010, while being a public officer used his position as a Consultant Cardio-thoracic Surgeon at UNTH Enugu, to demand for N320, 000 and received N70, 000, before he could carry out a surgical operation on one late Francis Ebeogbodi, which he never did, before the patient passed on.

The ICPC said that, although it was unethical for doctors in public service to demand and accept money before performing their official duties, the accused allegedly did so. The accused had, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was subsequently granted bail on self-recognition.

But in his judgement, Justice Odugu, said the Defendant had no case to answer, and he was accordingly, discharged and acquitted.

“In conclusion, I uphold the no case submission of learned counsel for the Defendant, as none of the ingredients and essential elements of asking for or receiving money from any person, or using his office to confer a corrupt advantage on himself, has not been proved by the Prosecutor.

“It appears that the Defendant is only a victim of politics of succession in UNTH, in the course of which a closed matter was resurrected by his adversaries, not only to silence him but ostensibly to put him out of circulation and ruin his expert and distinguished career in medicine.

“In consequence therefore, the Defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted on all the four-count charges preferred against him by the ICPC, as contained in the information dated the 1st day of March, 2010 and filed against him on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation. And I so order”, Justice Odugu ruled.