A Lagos-based cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Adepoju Anuoluwapo was Friday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), for allegedly obstructing investigation into the death of a client of hers, who allegedly died as a result of the body enhancement surgery performed on her by the surgeon.
The FCCPC, which is investigating the wrongful death of Mrs. Nneka Onwuzuligbo, after the alleged failed surgery, slammed a five-count charge marked FHC/L/125c/2020 against Anuoluwapo and her cosmetic surgery firm Med Contour Ltd, with place of operation listed as No. 11a Ladi Alakija Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The FCCPC claims that Dr. Anuoluwapo has refused to appear before the agency and declined to handover documents relating to the procedure and the patient.
The charge, prosecuted by FCCPC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Babatunde Irukera, accused Dr. Anuoluwapo of failure “or refusal to appear before the FCCPC in compliance with a summons as required by law.
“Failure to produce documents in compliance with the commission’s Notice of Investigation as required by law” and “Impeding, preventing or obstructing the Commission’s investigation.”
Irukera said the incident occurred between April 15 and May 4, 2020, at No. 11a Ladi Alakija Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
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He alleged that Adepoju’s conduct contravened 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.
A six-paragraph affidavit of completion of investigation attached to the charge, said the commission received complaints from three petitioners, Marlene Adejumo Oluwakemi, Taiwo Omolola Temilade and Vivian Onwuzuligbo alleging that Dr. Anuoluwapo’s body enhancement business “are unsafe for consumers.”
It alleged that the surgeon made “false, misleading and deceptive representation in relation to the marketing of their services.
“In particular, the above-mentioned Vivian Onwuzuligbo, a family member of the Mrs Nnneka Miriam Barbara Onwuzuligbo (now deceased) alleged that the deceased died as a result of the failed defendants’ cosmetic surgery and she is privy to the events that led to the demise of the deceased.”
Dr. Adepoju pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Earlier in the proceeding, the judge dismissed a preliminary objection by the defence lawyer, Marian Jones, challenging the validity of the charges and the court’s jurisdiction to entertain them.
Justice Liman upheld Irukera’s argument that the court’s jurisdiction enables it to hear the charge but allowed Dr. Anuoluwapo bail on self-recognisance in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The suit was subsequently adjourned till July 9 for the commencement of the trial. (THEWILL)
