The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has taken over the prosecution of Abuja-based fertility doctor, Dr. John Abebe, over allegations of fraud, unlawful disclosure of confidential medical records and alleged mishandling of embryos belonging to a couple.
Also charged in the three-count case marked CR/005/2026 are Joje Abebe Fertility Centre Limited and Balkis Olanike Bakare.
The Federal Government alleged that Abebe unlawfully disclosed confidential medical records belonging to Mrs. Mary Manga without her consent, thereby violating her right to medical confidentiality under the National Health Act, 2014.
The prosecution also alleged that the doctor breached a confidentiality agreement relating to the reproductive health status of the complainant’s husband, Mr. Adamu Hassan, by attaching his medical information to a pre-action demand notice issued through his lawyers.
According to the charge, the disclosure allegedly made the couple’s confidential medical information accessible to third parties and caused them emotional distress.
In another count, the Federal Government alleged that between January and May 2025, Abebe fraudulently obtained ₦19 million from the couple by allegedly falsely representing himself as an in vitro fertilisation specialist.
The prosecution further alleged that the doctor converted the money to his personal use and unlawfully dealt with embryos allegedly created during the IVF process.
According to the charge, the embryos allegedly included nine embryos, comprising two male and seven female embryos, which the prosecution claimed were sold to other patients.
The government alleged that the actions amounted to a breach of the couple’s reproductive rights and medical confidentiality, contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the National Health Act, 2014.
The matter was initially prosecuted by the Nigeria Police Force before the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation applied to take over the case.
Abebe and the other defendants have pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Justice A. A. Fashola of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory had, on March 11, granted the defendants bail pending the determination of the case.
The earlier police prosecution had alleged that on August 6, 2025, Abebe released Mrs. Manga’s confidential medical records without authorisation and also disclosed details of her husband’s fertility status through documents attached to a demand notice sent by a third-party law firm.
The defence counsel, Marvin Omorogbe, had sought to move the application before suggesting that the substantive trial should proceed, but the judge directed the prosecution, led by Malik D. Taiwo, to respond formally unless the application was withdrawn.
The defence counsel, Marvin Omorogbe, had sought to move the application before suggesting that the substantive trial should proceed, but the judge directed the prosecution, led by Malik D. Taiwo, to respond formally unless the application was withdrawn.
The allegations against Abebe and the other defendants have not been proved in court.
The case is expected to draw attention to issues surrounding medical confidentiality, assisted reproductive technology, ownership and handling of embryos, and the regulation of fertility treatment in Nigeria.