Obengfo doctor charged for murder

The medical director of Obengfo Hospital – a private medical centre in Accra – Dominic Kwame Obeng-Andoh, who was arrested for allegedly causing the death of Stacy Offei-Darko, has been remanded into custody by an Accra District Court.

The medical doctor and a cleaner at the hospital, Edward Amponsah, 46, were dragged before the court, presided over by Afua G. Sackey, for their alleged role in the death of Stacy Offei-Darko, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP).

Stacy, according to police, went to the hospital for a liposuction and fat transfer surgery but died on Monday, May 21, 2018 at about 4:00 pm while on admission after the surgery.

Upon her death, the doctor is reported to have ordered the cleaner to send the body to a different morgue, but it was rejected because no relative of the deceased was present to witness the process.

Detective Sergeant Rose Animah told the court that as a result, the cleaner sent the body to the St. Gregory Catholic Hospital morgue at Buduburam, where he presented himself as the biological elder brother of the late Stacy Offei-Darko and authorized the hospital to embalm the corpse.

She said the body was embalmed and preserved at the morgue that same day without the bereaved family or the police being informed about the situation.

The bereaved family, according to the police, got hint of the situation on Thursday, May 24, 2018, suspected foul play and informed the police.

“Police proceeded and inspected the body at the mortuary and found fresh multiple surgery scars on some parts of the body which suggested foul play. The body was conveyed and deposited at the Korle-Bu Hospital for autopsy,” the court heard.

Dr. Obeng-Andoh, who looked very sick and could barely stand, has been charged with murder contrary to Section 46 of Act 29/60 and his plea has been reserved.

His accomplice, on the other hand, has been charged with impersonation – for presenting himself as the elder brother of the deceased to be able to deposit her mortal remains in a morgue.

Before the court yesterday, the defence counsel, Jonathan Dzaisu, who held the brief for Dr Maurice Ankrah, prayed the court to grant the two bail pending trial.

He said Dr Obeng-Andoh has a medical condition which requires special attention and that since his arrest he had been unable to receive such attention.

According to counsel, the accused person is only being managed at the Police Hospital and prayed the court to grant him bail to enable him access medical attention.

The case prosecutor, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Apiorsornu, opposed the bail application, saying investigations were still ongoing and that they would interfere with them (investigations) when granted bail.

He challenged the jurisdiction of the court to grant bail, saying the court with competent jurisdiction to do so in this matter is the high court.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Apiorsornu said Dr. Obeng-Andoh, apart from receiving treatment at the Police Hospital, could be taken to any facility of his choice.

The presiding judge, Afua G. Sackey, refused to grant bail, saying the appropriate court to do so is the trial court.

She, therefore, asked the defence counsel to file the bail application at the high court and ordered the prosecution to ensure that Dr. Obeng-Andoh receives the needed medical attention.

The two will reappear in court on June 12, 2018.