Alleged Graft: Court Discharges, Acquits Prof. Aghaji Of UNTH Enugu

Justice Reuben Odugu of the Federal High Court, Enugu has discharged and acquitted a former Consultant Cardio-thoracic Surgeon in the Department of Surgery, University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Prof. Martin Aghaji, “on all the four count charges preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices Other Related Offences Commission (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.”

  Justice Odugu delivered his verdict discharging and acquitting Prof. Aghaji of all charged preferred against him by the ICPC in Suit No. E/37C/2010. The court issued the verdict on 28 June 2017.

 The ICPC had in March 2010 filed “a 4-count charge of allegedly demanding and receiving gratification in the course of his official duties” against Prof. Aghaji.

  According to a statement made available to The Dream Daily newspaper by the commission’s then Spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, “the charges bordered on administrative corruption, extortion and conferring corrupt advantages on himself, which violate Sections 8 and 19 and are punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
 The ICPC had alleged that “Professor Aghaji, had sometime in 2003, while being a public officer used his position as a Consultant Cardio-thoracic Surgeon at UNTH Enugu, demanded 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.
“Investigations have shown that although it is unethical for doctors in public service to demand and accept money before performing their official duties, the accused had allegedly done so.
“The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on self-recognition.”

  But at the trial, Prof.  Aghaji made a “no case submission” to the court through his counsel.  

  The trial judge, Odugu, heard both parties to the suit and delivered the discharge and acquittal of Prof. Aghaji on all four counts.     Delivering his judgement on the “no case submission” made by Prof. Aghaji, Justice Odugu conclusively ruled thus: “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 oneself has not been proved by the prosecution.

“In conclusion, 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 ruined 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 Independent Corrupt Practices Other Related Offences Commission 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.”