Dr Adepoju Anuoluwapo
On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, a judgment reserve took place at a Federal High Court in Lagos in a legal case involving Anuoluwapo Adepoju, a Lagos plastic surgeon, and her clinic, MedContour Services Ltd. The trial, initially scheduled for judgment on that day, had been ongoing since Adepoju and her medical outfit were re-arraigned on July 17, 2020.
Justice Mohammed Liman, presiding over the case, had set the judgment date after the final addresses were presented in November 2023. However, the court announced that the judgment wasn’t ready as expected, and a new date would be communicated soon.
The defendant, charged by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on self-recognition. Although Justice Liman was transferred out of the Lagos division, he continued to preside over the case.
The trial began with the prosecution presenting witnesses and subsequently closing its case. The defense submitted a no-case motion, arguing that the prosecution hadn’t established a case against the defendant. However, on April 7, 2022, Justice Liman rejected the submission, stating that the evidence presented satisfied the elements of the charges.
Following this ruling, the defendant was ordered to open her defense, leading to the commencement of the defense’s case on May 5, 2023. The defendant testified as the sole witness, and after various adjournments, the adoption of written addresses took place on November 20, 2023.
In the five-count charge, the prosecution alleged that the defendant failed to appear before the FCCPC regarding an investigation into a reported failed buttock enlargement surgery. The charges included failure to comply with the commission’s summons and refusal to produce required documents, preventing and obstructing the commission’s investigation.
The alleged offenses contravene sections 11(1)(a), 33(1)(a), 110, 113(1)(a), and 159(4) of the FCCPC Act, 2018. A new date for judgment will be communicated to the parties.