Police arrest fake doctor in Edo

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The officers of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a 46-year-old man, Osaze Okungbowa, who allegedly posed as a medical doctor, delivered babies and trafficked newborns.

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Okungbowa was arrested after one Princess Oke reported that the baby she delivered under the suspect’s care was missing.

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Speaking while being paraded on Friday at the Edo State Police Command headquarters, Okungbowa said he did not attend any tertiary institution but trained as an auxiliary nurse.

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Okungbowa said he was employed at a hospital but denied performing the duties of a medical doctor.

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He said Princess Oke’s baby died while being transported to another facility because the infant needed to be placed in an incubator.

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“I am a fake doctor. I was employed as a manager in a private hospital. The owner employs both qualified and unqualified persons. One Mr Godwin brought a woman and said she wanted to deliver. I told them I could not take the delivery because I was not feeling well that day.

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“I called a woman to come and assist with the delivery at the facility. The lady I called took the pregnant woman home for delivery. The man who brought the pregnant woman called me and said the baby was not feeling fine and that I should take the baby to where it could be kept in an incubator.

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“I took the baby, and while transporting it to the hospital, it died. Mr Godwin said we should bury the baby. We buried the baby at an Anglican cemetery.”

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Okungbowa insisted that he did not sell the baby and confirmed that he only attended secondary school.

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However, the baby’s mother said she heard her baby cry before she became unconscious after delivery.

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She said, “Okungbowa was the person who induced me around 11 a.m. A midwife said I should go to their house to deliver. After delivery, I heard the baby cry before I became unconscious.

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“When I regained consciousness, I saw only the placenta. The doctor had been on the run. I was told the baby died. I believe the child is not dead. He said the child was premature. How can a baby delivered after 35 weeks of pregnancy be premature?”

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The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, said the suspect would be charged in court after the conclusion of investigations.

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