By Ndidi Chukwu
Attempts to discontinue trial of surgeon Dr Sunday Olusoji before a tribunal failed on Tuesday, after the patient who complained against him denied withdrawing his petition. Uwa Osagie, resident in Benin City, had earlier petitioned the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria that Dr Olusoji was negligent to his surgery following a gunshot wound in March 2013. Osagie’s claim is that Olusoji the doctor did not do an x-ray before binding his shot leg, leaving pellets still embedded within, resulting in a later amputation of his right leg.
The tribunal earlier read a letter purportedly written by Osagie where he said his petition on negligent treatment of his gunshot wound was in error. But Osagie appeared before the tribunal on crutches to say he was neither aware of the letter nor had he written it.
“I can’t write a letter of withdrawal and still travel all the way from Benin City to Abuja,” he said. He produced an earlier affidavit to compare signatures and rejected the signature on the letter as his. “This is not my signature, my lord. I have an affidavit here. This is a forged signature,” said Osagie. “We are shocked,” Olusoji’s counsel Tunde Iluremi told the tribunal while asking for an adjournment.
The doctor himself was not present before the tribunal. His counsel’s excuse that he was sitting a professional examination in Lagos was regarded as unprofessional and unethical. But the tribunal will be set for Olusoji’s arraignment on Thursday, when he is expected to take a plea before the disciplinary tribunal sitting four days this week.
The Tribunal is also expected to investigate the source of purported letter, and report at its ruling. The MDCN tribunal will continue hearing for days in four separate cases against doctors, while others face arraignment.
The Court’s Judgment on some of the cases may come as early as Friday.
