An Abuja-based medical practitioner, John Abebe, was on Wednesday arraigned on a three-count charge of fraud and criminal conspiracy.
Abebe was arraigned alongside his hospital, Joje Abebe Hospital Limited, before Justice A. A. Fashola of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jabi, Abuja.
In the three-count charge filed against him by the federal government, Abebe was also accused of unlawful disclosure of confidential medical records, and sale of a couple’s embryos.
He was alleged to have unlawfully released the confidential medical records of Mrs. Mary Manga and her husband to the public without her consent — an offence said to contravene Section 29 of the National Health Act 2014.
In addition to the alleged breach of medical confidentiality, prosecutors claimed that between January and May 2025, Abebe, described as Chief Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, deceived and defrauded the couple of N19 million under the pretext of being a specialist in In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).
The charge alleged that he collected the money for treatment and converted it to personal use, an offence punishable under Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Most disturbing among the allegations was the claim that the doctor sold the couple’s fully developed embryos to other patients, a development that if proven could mark one of the most scandalous fertility-related cases in the country’s recent history.
When the charges were read to him, Abebe and Joje Abebe Hospital Limited pleaded not guilty, following which their lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, applied for his bail.
Since prosecuting counsel, Joseph Wada, did not oppose the bail, Fashola, subsequently, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N5 million with a reliable surety in like sum.
The surety must be a professional working with a responsible and verifiable organisation, the court held.
The matter has been adjourned to April 2, 2026 for trial.
Count one read, “That you 1. John Onuwabhagbe Abebe ‘M’ 54 years, 2. Joje Abebe Fertility Centre Limited, being a Chief Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist/Medical Doctor of Joje Abebe Hospital Limited, head office located at No. 0140, Bamanga Tukur Street, Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Gudu District, FCT, Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division, while you were in custody of Mr. & Mrs. Mary Manga’s medical records concerning their health welfare and their production status on or before 6th August 2025, at FCT, Abuja, without their authorisation or consent abused your office and released their secret medical record to members of the public as a result you render the victim the exposure to be traumatised and yet to recover from the shock, contrary to your oath of allegiance.
“And that you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 299 of the National Health Act, 2014.”
Count two read, “That 1. John Onuwabhagbe Abebe ‘M’ 54 years, 2. Jeje Abebe Fertility Centre Limited, being a Chief Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist/Medical Doctor of Joje Abebe Hospital Limited, located at No. 0140, Bamanga Tukur Street, Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Gudu District, FCT, Abuja, did on or about 17th September, 2025, you were invited by the officers and men of the FID STS, Police Force Headquarters FCT, Abuja, for breaching the confidential agreement you made with Mr. Adamu Hassan the Husband of Mrs. Mary Manga over his medical status concerning his reproduction status not to expose to a third party, vis-à-vis on the 6th August, 2025, you attached their medical history that conveyed the poor fertility status of her husband to a documentary titled Demand/Pre-Action Notice from the law firm of Fabunmi and Co., which was received and read by one Albert Gaji, the litigation Secretary of Y. J. Imam Yusuf John Esq, which were later exposed to some other members of the public to read as a result of the exposure made him to be traumatized till date.
“And that you thereby committed an offence contrary to punishable under section 29 of the National Health Act, 2014.
Count three alleged, “That you 1. John Onuwabhagbe Abebe ‘M’ 54 years, 2. Jeje Abebe Fertility Centre Limited, being a Chief Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist/Medical Doctor of Joje Abebe Hospital Limited, located at No. 0140, Bamanga Tukur Street, Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Gudu District, FCT, Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division between the month of January to May 2025, at FCT Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud by false pretense deceived, and duped Mrs. Mary Manga and her husband to the tune of N19 million (N19,000,000), under the pretense that you are specialised in Invitro Fertilisation (IVF), having reason to believe you are not skill in that filed and converted the whole money and some of their embryos to your own use.
“And that you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006.”
Alex Enumah
