Dr Egwau was arrested last month following the death of his patient Emmia Lucy Aluka at his clinic. He was released on January 29 but was rearrested on Monday after the conclusion of investigations.
Dr. Godfrey Egwau, a gynaecologist in Soroti City and the proprietor of Welfare Clinic, has been remanded to Soroti Government Prisons on charges of negligence.
The Chief Magistrate at Soroti Magistrate Court, Sarah Nantongo, stated she required additional time to review the sureties presented by Dr. Egwau before deciding on his bail application. remanded him until February 6, 2025.
Paul Okello, the State Attorney, had earlier opposed the bail application submitted by Dr. Egwau's lawyer, Sam Kikomeko. Okello raised concerns regarding one of the sureties, John Eperu, who at 64 years of age is nearly the same age as the accused. He questioned how Eperu would ensure that Dr. Egwau appears in court whenever required, given his advanced age.
Okello further noted that Dr Egwau's lawyer had only provided a single document regarding the accused’s health conditions and requested additional documentation to substantiate claims of Dr 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 Dr. Egwau to support his family, since he is the primary provider.
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Dr 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.
Dr. Egwau had been operating without a valid medical license —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 Dr. Egwau and his team were still attending to Aluka.
Witness accounts suggest a lack of communication from Dr. 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 Dr. 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 Dr. Egwau had personally delivered the body and they would not release it without his consent.