A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Zuba, Abuja, has barred the Managing Director of the popular Alliance Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Christopher Otabor, from traveling outside Nigeria pending the determination of the ongoing case of alleged organ (Kidney) harvesting involving him and other members of his Staff.

It could be recalled that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), had on the 18th of March 2024, arraigned the 51-year-old Dr. Christopher Otabor, and three other members of his staff, before a High Court of the FCT sitting at Zuba, presided over by Hon. Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya, on a case of organ (Kidney) harvest.

According to Mr. Adekoye Vincent, Communication Officer, NAPTIP, the defendants were slammed with an 11-count charge bothering on the procurement of persons, accommodation of persons, and performing surgical operations on three victims namely Adebayo Salaudeen Saliman, male (17yrs, Yahaya Musa, male (17yrs), and Aminu Yahuza, male (25 yrs), for the removal of their organ (kidney)  offences contrary to Section 20 (2) (a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20(2) (b) of same Act.

It could also be recalled that while ruling on the bail application by Counsel to the defendants on the date of their arraignment, the Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya, granted them bail on two conditions.

First, they are to report daily at NAPTIP Headquarters, Abuja & sign a register to that effect while the second condition is that they will deposit their traveling documents with the Court.

Counsel to Dr.Chris Otabor who is the 4th defendant in the case, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, had filed an application for the Court to vary the aforestated bail conditions to enable him to retrieve his passport, apply for a Polish Visa, and travel out of Nigeria to Poland, to see his sick son who is in a Medical University in Warsaw.

The Defence Counsel had argued that Dr. Otabor has continued to fulfill the bail condition by reporting daily at NAPTIP Headquarters except on dates slated for the Court sittings.

He further told the Court that Dr. Chris Otabor has not interfered with the proceedings of the court in any manner, hence the request for the bail variation.

Mazi Afam Osigwe also submitted that Dr. Otabor is the Chief Medical Director of the renowned  Alliance Hospital, Abuja, with numerous employees, stressing that he will not jump bail.

The prosecution vehemently opposed the application through its lead Counsel, the  Director, Legal and Prosecution Department, NAPTIP, Mr Hassan Hamis Tahir.

He submitted to the Court that the application lacks merit.

Mr. Tahir also submitted that apart from the fact that the 4th defendant has nothing to show that his son is sick abroad as claimed, he has not proposed a condition for the variation of his bail condition and also failed to provide a Surety to stand for him.

The Prosecution Counsel argued further that grating Dr.Chris Otabor a variation that will enable him to travel out of Nigeria is tantamount to releasing him without Security for his bail.

In her ruling, the Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya, reminded both parties that even though bail is the right of any person, the Court has the exclusive and discretionary power to grant a variation of conditions stipulated for bail

She reminded all that the case at hand is purely a criminal trial and that the 4th defendant(Dr. Chris Otabor is the arrowhead of the 5th defendant (Alliance Hospital)

The presiding Judge further pointed out that the 4th defendant has not attached any document to show the nature of the illness of his son nor the name and location of the hospital where he is going to visit his son, adding that the Court is not a Court of emotions.

She stressed further that Dr. Otabor has not presented any person who can stand in his stead or a bail bond..

The Court posed the question,

“Can it be said that the Court stands on the side of justice if this application for variation of the bail is granted”?

The presiding Judge stated that since there is no document to prove that the son is sick and bearing in mind that his International passport deposited in the Court is the security for his bail, granting a variation that enables him to retrieve the passport will amount to setting him free.

The Court was also mindful that the defence has not opened its case as yet and a hearing on a no-case submission advanced by the defence has been fixed for July, 2nd, 2024.

“The Court does not feel that granting the application will be in the interest of justice in this case”, the Hon. Judge concluded and she dismissed the application for lacking merit.