Oladimeji Ramon
The trial of a Lagos-based cosmetic surgeon, Dr Anuoluwapo Adepoju, whose services allegedly resulted in the death of one Mrs Nneka Onwuzuligbo, resumed on Wednesday, with a witness alleging that the surgeon made false promises of buttocks enlargement without complications to her clients.
Adepoju is being tried before the Federal High Court in Lagos by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which accused her of blocking investigation into customers’ complaints against her.
The FCCPC claimed in the charges before Justice Mohammed Liman that Adepoju shunned the agency’s summons and refused to produce documents demanded from her.
The commission said the cosmetic surgeon is liable to be punished sections 33(3) and 113(1) of the FCCPC Act 2018.
Following Adepoju’s no-guilty plea, the FCCPC opened its case on July 17, with one of its officials, Susie Onwuka, testifying as the first prosecution witness in the case.
While being cross-examined on Wednesday by the defence counsel, Marian Jones, the witness said FCCPC’s move to investigate the surgeon arose out of the false claims she allegedly made to her clients.
“The defendant had guaranteed and assured her patients that she was going to enlarge their butts without side effects and that it was going to be a surgery that won’t affect their lives.
“The consumers of the defendant’s services complained to us that her surgeries fell short of what was she had guaranteed after they had patronised her,” Onwuka told the court.
Asked if the FCCPC had statutory powers to investigate medical practitioners, without recourse to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Onwuka said, “The FCCPC is concerned with consumer of products and services and so, if the commission gets a complaint from consumers of goods and services, it is empowered to investigate such a complaint.”
Justice Liman adjourned till December 2 for further proceedings.
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