Former President Olusegun Obasanjo may have left judgment in the hands of the almighty God and taken the death of his wife, Stella, as what fate brought, but Spanish authorities have not given up as the doctor who handled the surgery that led to her death will on Friday appear in court on a charge of negligent manslaughter.
The cosmetic surgeon from a Marbella clinic in Spain is being tried on a charge which may earn him two years in prison and a ban from working as a plastic surgeon for five years for the 2005 death of the then Nigerian first lady due to complications allegedly caused by the surgery he carried out, reported euroweeklynews.com yesterday.
The news website quoted the public prosecutor’s office as claiming that in August 2005, the 59-year-old late Mrs Obasanjo attended the exclusive Molding cosmetic surgery clinic in the upmarket town of Puerto Banus to enquire about a cosmetic surgery operation.
She was seen by the accused who, following some tests, gave her an appointment for her to return for more tests on October 20 for the procedure to take place the following day.
According to the prosecution, despite the fact that the accused had carried out more than 300 liposuction procedures in the past, he allegedly made several errors that punctured Stella Obasanjo’s liver and colon.
During the hours following the operation and in the post-operation, the prosecution claimed the injuries caused a massive amount of blood loss that led to several complications that eventually caused the patient septic shock that were not diagnosed by the doctor.
When the doctor allegedly eventually realised there were problems, he caused Stella Obasanjo to be transferred to Marbella’s USP Hospital by a clinic vehicle instead of helicopter despite the clinic having an arrangement with the medical helicopter firm. It is thought that she had suffered a severe asthma attack and lapsed into a coma.
The hospital in Marbella said all efforts to revive her failed because she was in an advanced state of shock.
Mrs. Obasanjo died in the early hours of October 23, 2005 in the hospital. The prosecution considers the action of the doctor as constituting negligent manslaughter.
In addition to the prison sentence, the public prosecutor’s office is seeking 120,000 euros in compensation for the victim’s family.
Stella Obasanjo was born into the Abebe family of Iruekpen, Edo State. Her father, Dr. Christopher Abebe, was the first African chairman of the United African Company (UAC). Her mother, Theresa Abebe, is a graduate of the Pitman College, London.
The paths of the mother of the late first lady and the ex-president first crossed in 1976 in London when the then Stella Abebe was studying in England. Obasanjo, then a colonel and ex-war commander was on a course.
Stella started her education at Our Lady of Apostles Primary School, Yaba, Lagos. Young Stella enrolled at the famous St. Theresa’s College, Ibadan, where she obtained her West African School Certificate.
She completed her education with a certificate as confidential secretary from the Pitman College in 1976. She returned to Nigeria in 1976 and soon after married General Obasanjo, who had become Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, following the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed.
In 1995, during the military dictatorship in Nigeria, when Obasanjo was jailed on trumped up charges of plotting to overthrow the government of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Stella campaigned for her husband's release
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