Reports suggesting that a doctor’s letter submitted to a Federal
Hight Court, Abuja, by a former National Publicity Secretary of the
Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, is fake are incorrect,
DUBAWA, Nigeria’s fact-checking and verification platform, is
reporting.
The UK chapter of the All Progressives Congress had written to
the Wellington Hospital, London, enquiring about the authenticity
of a letter by Dr. Adrian Casey, a consultant neurosurgeon,
accepting to treat Mr. Metuh for spinal cord injury.
In the letter, Mr. Casey had given his address as “The
Wellington Hospital, Wellington Place, St John’s Wood Road,
London.”
Mr. Metuh had filed the letter as part of the medical report he
submitted to the trial court while asking Justice Okon Abang to
grant him leave to travel abroad for treatment. The politician is
on trial for allegedly diverting N400 million from the office of
former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, during the
administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
But in a response to the UK APC, John Reay, the CEO of
Wellington Hospital, simply said, “We cannot comment on individual
patients or pass on confidential information to third parties. We
do not employ consultants at the Wellington and therefore cannot
respond on behalf of Dr. Casey. We have passed your correspondence
to Dr. Casey for his information.”
The APC was quick in posting Mr. Reay’s letter to its twitter
timeline. It also tweeted at the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission asking the agency to note that “Wellington Hospital is
not aware of a letter tendered in court and Dr. Casey appears to be
a private consultant.”
That post soon went viral, with some Nigerian websites
generating reports from it and claiming Wellington Hospital had
disowned Mr. Metuh’s letter. Some claimed they had busted Mr. Metuh
for lying to the court, and that he should be tried for perjury
OUR FINDINGS
Our checks indicate that Dr. Casey has a subsisting affiliation
with Wellington Hospital. He is listed on the hospital’s website as
one of its medical personnel, although his base hospital was given
as the UK National Hospital for Neurology, where he is on call
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday every week.
Responding to an enquiry by this medium, Emma Ley, an official
of Wellington Hospital, said Mr. Casey consults at the hospital on
Mondays and Fridays. Mr. Ley proceeded to provide the contact
details of the doctor’s secretary in case this reporter wanted to
book an appointment to meet him in Wellington.
So while Dr. Casey may not be a full-time employee of
Wellington, he has affiliation with and consults regularly at the
facility.
We also sent a copy of Mr. Metuh’s letter to Dr. Casey asking if
it indeed originated from him.
In his response, the doctor did not deny writing the letter,
although he indicated his reluctance to comment on his patients to
third parties. He advised the Federal High Court to, on its own,
investigate Mr. Metuh’s condition if it is in any doubt about the
content of the letter and the medical report attached to it.
“… It would be a straightforward matter for the Nigerian courts
to examine the individual and check any scans via a suitably
qualified neurosurgeon or neurologist,” the doctor said.
We also contacted Dr. Raymond Onwuelo, a Nigerian UK-based
senior medical officer, who referred Mr. Metuh to Dr. Casey, and to
which the latter’s letter was addressed. Dr. Onwuelo said as Mr.
Metuh’s doctor, it was him who, having reviewed the PDP chieftain’s
condition, contacted Dr. Casey to help. He said he simply forwarded
the neurosurgeon’s letter to Mr. Metuh so he could add it to the
documentation he needed to press for permission to travel.
“Dr. Casey reviewed Mr. Metuh’s scans, and he said he needed to
come to London immediately,” Dr. Onwuelo said. “My concern about
all this controversy about the letter is that his condition might
deteriorate and he might suffer a permanent damage to his
spine.”
CONCLUSION
The doctor’s letter submitted by Mr. Metuh to the Federal High
Court is authentic and the resultant controversy is more of hair
splitting. The claim that Dr. Casey, who signed it, has no
affiliation with Wellington Hospital is also false.
premiumtimesng
Reports suggesting that a doctor’s letter submitted to a Federal
Hight Court, Abuja, by a former National Publicity Secretary of the
Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, is fake are incorrect,
DUBAWA, Nigeria’s fact-checking and verification platform, is
reporting.
The UK chapter of the All Progressives Congress had written to
the Wellington Hospital, London, enquiring about the authenticity
of a letter by Dr. Adrian Casey, a consultant neurosurgeon,
accepting to treat Mr. Metuh for spinal cord injury.
In the letter, Mr. Casey had given his address as “The
Wellington Hospital, Wellington Place, St John’s Wood Road,
London.”
Mr. Metuh had filed the letter as part of the medical report he
submitted to the trial court while asking Justice Okon Abang to
grant him leave to travel abroad for treatment. The politician is
on trial for allegedly diverting N400 million from the office of
former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, during the
administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
But in a response to the UK APC, John Reay, the CEO of
Wellington Hospital, simply said, “We cannot comment on individual
patients or pass on confidential information to third parties. We
do not employ consultants at the Wellington and therefore cannot
respond on behalf of Dr. Casey. We have passed your correspondence
to Dr. Casey for his information.”
The APC was quick in posting Mr. Reay’s letter to its twitter
timeline. It also tweeted at the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission asking the agency to note that “Wellington Hospital is
not aware of a letter tendered in court and Dr. Casey appears to be
a private consultant.”
That post soon went viral, with some Nigerian websites
generating reports from it and claiming Wellington Hospital had
disowned Mr. Metuh’s letter. Some claimed they had busted Mr. Metuh
for lying to the court, and that he should be tried for perjury
OUR FINDINGS
Our checks indicate that Dr. Casey has a subsisting affiliation
with Wellington Hospital. He is listed on the hospital’s website as
one of its medical personnel, although his base hospital was given
as the UK National Hospital for Neurology, where he is on call
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday every week.
Responding to an enquiry by this medium, Emma Ley, an official
of Wellington Hospital, said Mr. Casey consults at the hospital on
Mondays and Fridays. Mr. Ley proceeded to provide the contact
details of the doctor’s secretary in case this reporter wanted to
book an appointment to meet him in Wellington.
So while Dr. Casey may not be a full-time employee of
Wellington, he has affiliation with and consults regularly at the
facility.
We also sent a copy of Mr. Metuh’s letter to Dr. Casey asking if
it indeed originated from him.
In his response, the doctor did not deny writing the letter,
although he indicated his reluctance to comment on his patients to
third parties. He advised the Federal High Court to, on its own,
investigate Mr. Metuh’s condition if it is in any doubt about the
content of the letter and the medical report attached to it.
“… It would be a straightforward matter for the Nigerian courts
to examine the individual and check any scans via a suitably
qualified neurosurgeon or neurologist,” the doctor said.
We also contacted Dr. Raymond Onwuelo, a Nigerian UK-based
senior medical officer, who referred Mr. Metuh to Dr. Casey, and to
which the latter’s letter was addressed. Dr. Onwuelo said as Mr.
Metuh’s doctor, it was him who, having reviewed the PDP chieftain’s
condition, contacted Dr. Casey to help. He said he simply forwarded
the neurosurgeon’s letter to Mr. Metuh so he could add it to the
documentation he needed to press for permission to travel.
“Dr. Casey reviewed Mr. Metuh’s scans, and he said he needed to
come to London immediately,” Dr. Onwuelo said. “My concern about
all this controversy about the letter is that his condition might
deteriorate and he might suffer a permanent damage to his
spine.”
CONCLUSION
The doctor’s letter submitted by Mr. Metuh to the Federal High
Court is authentic and the resultant controversy is more of hair
splitting. The claim that Dr. Casey, who signed it, has no
affiliation with Wellington Hospital is also false.
premiumtimesng