By Jacqueline L. Dennis
A Medical Doctor of the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, Augustus Quiah, has testified in the alleged murder trial involving defendant Sam Worlobah, accused of murdering Samuel P. Kollie, who carried out a surgery on the deceased.
Prosecution’s first witness, Quiah, told the court and the jury on Monday that defendant Worlobah is an operating technician who is there to assist in the medical field but not to carry out surgical procedures.
He informed the court that the Liberia Medical and Dental Council is responsible for giving out licenses to qualified medical doctors and physical assistants, who are to assist the medical doctor; they are not licensed to practice as medical doctors or surgeons.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime, thereby raising issues for the state to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defendant Worlobah was indicted by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County for the crime of Murder.
According to the indictment, Defendant Worlobah, who is said is not a Medical Doctor, carried out a surgical procedure that led to the death of Samuel. P. Kollie.
The indictment indicated that the deceased, Kollie, before his death, went to the defendant to have him treated for acute abdominal pain; accordingly, the Defendant Worlobah conducted a physical examination on the deceased and was diagnosed with suffering from appendicitis and hepatitis B-positive.
Defendant Worlobah charged the deceased and his sister the sum of US$ 275, to which the victim’s sister, Mary Kollie, told the defendant that they had US$225.00 for the operations, which the defendant accepted and carried out the operations.
The indictment maintained that the Lofa Medical Services Clinic is not accredited by the Liberia Medical and Dental Board for surgical procedures. The clinic does not have the standard and facilities required to carry out surgical procedures in such a case.
