Two medical doctors arraigned for allegedly endangering patient’s life

The police on Tuesday arraigned two medical doctors, a husband and wife, in an Igbosere High Court, Lagos for allegedly endangering the life of a 17-year-old patient.
The defendants, Ejike and Grace Orji, are charged with three counts of causing grievous harm and negligent act causing harm.
However, the couple pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Earlier, Lagos State Prosecutor, Mr Babatunde Sunmonu, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on July 26, 2018, at Excel Medical Centre in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Sunmonu said that the defendants caused grievous harm on the 17-year-old by fixing a Plaster of Paris (POP) cast too tight on his leg.
He said that the two doctors  who were not orthopaedic specialists, recklessly administered orthopaedic medical treatment to the minor.
The defendants, he added, were negligent while administering the treatment on the 17-year-old boy’s leg.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 245, 251 and 252 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Counsel to the defendant, Mr K.C. Okwu, urged the court to admit his client to bail on self recognisance.
Okwu told the court that the defendants were both medical doctors who have practised for more than 30 years.
He said that one of the defendants was a consultant surgeon and a traditional ruler while the other was a pediatrician.
“I urge the court not to remand them in prison, I assure the court that they will appear in court anytime they are needed,” Okwu said.
The prosecutor, however, opposed the bail application, saying “if the defendant is a traditional ruler, it should have been gazetted in the federal government gazette.
“There is no evidence to that effect and there is no certificate to prove that the defendants are both medical doctors, therefore bail should not be granted on self recognisance”.
Justice Adedayo Akintoye, in her ruling, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
She ordered that both sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of three years tax payments to the Lagos State Government.
Akintoye also ordered that the residential and office addresses of the sureties must be verified by the Deputy Court Registrar (DCR) of the court.
“Bail is to be approved by the DCR of the High Court. I so hold,” Akintoye said.
She, however, said that the defendants would be allowed to go home until Monday (June 3) when their bail would have been processed but “if the defendants are not in court on Monday, I will remand them. By Monday, I will give a date for trial”.
The defendants were first arraigned on August 31, 2018 in a Magistrates’ Court and were granted bail.
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions issued a legal advice that the case be transferred to the high court.