Ben Ezechime, Enugu
A High Court sitting in Enugu, presided over by Justice Ngozi Orji, has committed the Acting Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr. Ngozi Unaogu; and Head of Clinical Services, Dr. Ubochi; to prison over contempt proceedings initiated by Dr. Afam Ndu, principal of the School of Basic Mental Health Nursing of the institution.
It would be recalled that Justice Ebele Mabel Egumbge of the High Court of Enugu State had, in 2020, ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Dr. Afam Ndu in suit No. E712017, and awarded Dr. Ndu ₦2.5 million in damages and issued a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, including Dr. Unaogu and Dr. Ubochi, from questioning his qualifications.
The defendants, however, defied the court’s injunction by constituting a committee to investigate the same qualifications against court order.
Ruling on matter, justice Orji ordered that the defendants, Dr. Unaogu and Ubochi should remain in the Enugu Correctional Service until there was total obedience to the earlier court judgment. delivered on the 10 December 2021 by Hon. Justice Egumgbe.
Justice Orji in her ruling, held that the constitution of the senior staff committee by the Acting Medical Director was a flagrant disobedience to court order.
She, therefore, committed the duo to prison and ordered that they be so detained until there is an absolute obedience to the court order contained in the judgment delivered on the 10 of December 2021 by Hon. Justice Ebele Mabel Egumgbe of Enugu State High Court.
