Alleged Organ Harvest: Doctor, Two Others Arraigned

A High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State capital has arraigned Mr. Noah Kekere and two others for allegedly harvesting one of the kidneys of one Mrs. Kehinde Kamal at his clinic in Jos.

Mrs Kamal was operated upon in 2018 at Murna Hospital for ruptured appendicitis headed by Kekere (popularly called in the Hausa language Asibitin Yellow) due to his fair complexion. But she allegedly continued to suffer from severe stomachache about five years after the procedure.

A check in other health facilities to know the cause of the stomach issue allegedly revealed she had just one kidney, and this led to the invitation of the police which arrested Kekere, one Dr. Philip Dachung and one Yusuf Abdullahi who all work in Murna Hospital.

The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has distanced itself from Kekere, saying he is not their member and information has it that he read economics for his first and second degrees.

The trio were arraigned on a four-count charge which bordered on selling human organs, taking an organ of the victim without his consent and others. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the accused persons, A. S. Shaakaa, applied for bail for his clients, stating that they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

But the prosecuting counsel, William David, objected to the bail application considering “the magnitude of the offence allegedly committed by the defendants”.

The court adjourned the case till 18th and 19th January 2024 for commencement of hearing and added that parties in the matter will be communicated on the date for ruling on the bail application and the accused persons are remanded in the Jos Correctional Centre pending when their bail application are ruled on.

Kamal, alleged victim, her husband and other family members were in court to witness the proceeding.