Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, June 08, 2018
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Chief Medical Director of Gold Cross Hospital, Dr. Olumuyiwa Solanke today told a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, that Justice Rita Ofili Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Ilorin division was not on admission in his hospital contrary to what the judge wants the court to believe.
Dr. Solanke who was being led in evidence by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)Solanke, the EFCC witness told a Lagos High Court, Ikeja that the embattled Federal High Court Judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia was not in the hospital on the 19th October as she claimed to the EFCC.
The CMD who was testigying as a witness before Justice Hakeem Oshodi said the hospital has records of all patient on admission on the 19th October 2016 and that the first defendant (Ofili-Ajumogobia) was not on admission on that date.
“I got a call from Hon. Ajumogobia that she was not feeling better on her drugs, that she should come back to the hospital that I will come and visit her the next day. I also phone the hospital to be expecting the honourable judge meanwhile the EFCC officials have occupied the hospital, they were waiting. It was the conversation between me and EFCC official, Mr. Lawal that came first before receiving call from Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia.
“Thereafter, a received call from Lawal of EFCC who told me they were in the hospital and I asked why? He told me they were in the hospital to see if Ajumogobia was on admission. and I told him that as at the time I left the hospital, she was not on admission. ”
The EFCC had slammed 30 count charge against Ajumogobia and Godwin Obla for alleged giving and receiving bribe. Obla, was charged with two-counts of offering gratification in the sum of N5million to Ofili-Ajumogobia, a public official while carrying out her duties as a judge.
Ofili-Ajumogobia was alleged of unlawful enrichment, corruption by a public officer, forgery and giving false information to an official of the EFCC. They pleaded not guilty to all the charges. According to EFCC, between 2012 and 2015 Ajumogobia received a total of 788,000 dollars from various sources into her Diamond Bank Account with number 0032091183.
However, earlier in his testimony led by prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, Solanke told court that he run the Gold Cross Hospital at Eko Akete, Lagos.
His response on the procedure for admission, Solanke said the patient comes though front desk, allowed to see a doctor who listens to complaints and makes diagnosis.
“If he deems fit for admission, he (doctor) will inform the nurses at the medical records. And on discharge, once the doctor has discharged the patient, the nurse will take them to medical billing, once she settled her bills, she is then allowed to go. She came in as a patient and made complains to me and after accessing her, I now decided that she should be admitted for further investigation and bed rest on 7th of October 2016.
“On the October 7, it was a different procedure because she came in as a private patient. Also being a judge, she was accorded a VIP. As VIP, we allowed to go straight to their wards and the nurses are allowed to go straight and take data from them. She was admitted and placed in private ward, drugs were administered, various investigations were carried out and she was also seen by the cardiologist. Later, she was discharged on the 13th of October 2016.
” Upon discharge, she was given drugs and a sick leave paper for one week to continue the rest at home. On 19th of October at 7pm, I was called at the hospital that there were EFCC officers at the hospital. Thereafter, a call from Lawal of EFCC who told me they were in the hospital and I asked why? He told me they were in the hospital to see if Ajumogobia was on admission. and I told him that as at the time I left the hospital, she was not on admission.
“I got a call from Hon Ajumogobia that she was not filling better even with her drugs, and I advised her to go back for hospital admission and that I will come and visit her the next day(19/10/2016. I also phoned them in the hospital to expect Ajumogobia. Meanwhile, the EFCC officers had occupied the hospital and they were there waiting. The conversation with Lawal and myself came first before her call. ”
When cross-examined by first defendant counsel, Mr Olawale Akoni (SAN), Solanke insisted that as at the time the document was recorded, first defendant was not on admission.
The judge subsequently adjourned till September 14, 2018. Justice Oshodi granted the application brought by Ajumogobia to renew her international passport. He ordered the passport been released for renewal and that both the old and new passport must be returned to the Chief Registrar of the court on or before June 24, 2018.
