A 62-year-old self-acclaimed medical doctor, identified as Etomi Celina, has been arraigned before an Evbuoriaria Magistrates’ Court sitting in Benin, Edo State for allegedly defrauding four women to the tune of N7m.
DAILY POST recalls that Celina in October, 2015, had been arrested by the police at her hideout in Saint Saviour Street for allegedly duping four women, Blessing Emunemu, Nwakaji Doris, Ogu Agnes and Victoria Enobun of over N7m, under the charade of being a medical doctor.
Celina had allegedly told her victims that she was an employee of a British hospital located in Owo, Ondo State, and asked three of them, who were childless, to choose the preferred gender for their babies, which they would have through a purported process, In Vitro Fertilisation, IVF.
According to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, who had earlier confirmed the incident, the accused had administered some substances on her victims, allegedly causing their stomachs to protrude.
He also noted she was said to have collected N900, 000 from another woman to remove a brain tumour via surgical operation.
According to police authorities, the accused person and another at large, obtained a total sum of N7, 601, 000 from the victims between 2014 and 2015.
The Prosecutor, ASP Aigbedion Obakpolor, said the accused was arraigned on 12 counts bordering on fraud and stealing, stating that the offences are punishable under sections 422, 419, 516, 309 (9), 484 of the Criminal Code Cap 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo State.
One of the charges read in part:
“That you, Etomi Celina, and one other now at large, sometime between 2014 and 2015 at Benin City, in the Evbuoriaria Magisterial District, did obtain the cash sum of N2,851, 000 from one Mrs. Nwakaji Doris under the pretext that you wanted to perform IVF on her and enable her to get pregnant, thereby, committing an offence punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, now applicable in Edo State.”
The ‘doctor’ however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The presiding Magistrate, Mr. F.O. Idiake, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Idiake adjourned the case till December 3, 2015 for further hearing.
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