Dr Godfrey Egwau, a gynaecologist and proprietor of Welfare Clinic in Soroti has been remanded to Soroti Government Prisons on charges of negligence.
The chief magistrate Sarah Nantongo, stated that she required additional time to review the sureties presented by Egwau before deciding on his bail application and hence remanded him until February 6.
Paul Okello, the state attorney, had earlier opposed the bail application submitted by Egwau’s lawyer, Sam Kikomeko. Okello raised concerns regarding one of the sureties, John Eperu, who, at 64, is nearly the same age as the accused. He questioned how Eperu would ensure that Egwau appears in court whenever required, given his advanced age.
Okello further noted that Egwau’s lawyer had only provided a single document regarding the accused’s health conditions and requested additional documentation to substantiate claims of Egwau suffering from diabetes and hypertension.
But Kikomeko argued that the accused’s medical condition could worsen if he remains in custody. Kikomeko also highlighted the need for Egwau to support his family, since he is the primary provider. Egwau was arrested last month following the death of his patient Emmia Lucy Aluka, the parish chief of Kapelebyong district, who died in childbirth at his clinic.
Egwau had been operating without a valid medical license since his license having expired in 2021, and his clinic also lacked proper licensing for conducting surgeries. Initial reports from the family indicated that they heard the baby crying after the procedure, leading them to believe everything had gone well.
However, nurses later informed them that Egwau and his team were still attending to Aluka. Witness accounts suggest a lack of communication from Egwau regarding Aluka’s condition, until around 3 am, when a fellow patient reported seeing what appeared to be a dead body being loaded into Egwau’s vehicle.
The family learned that the body had been taken to Bethesda Mortuary, where they faced difficulties obtaining information. Mortuary staff revealed that Egwau had personally delivered the body and they would not release it without his consent.