An Abuja-based fertility specialist and pastor of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Dr. John Abebe, has been accused of defrauding a couple of ₦19 million under the pretext of providing In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment and unlawfully releasing their confidential medical records.
Dr. Abebe, who runs Joje Abebe Hospital Limited, was arraigned before Justice A. A. Fashola of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, on a three-count charge bordering on fraud, criminal conspiracy and unlawful disclosure of medical records.
The charges reportedly followed a petition linked to Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Prosecutors alleged that the fertility doctor unlawfully released confidential medical records belonging to Mrs. Mary Manga and her husband without the patient’s consent.
According to court documents, the action violated provisions of the National Health Act 2014, which protects the confidentiality of patients’ medical information.
The prosecution said Abebe, described as a chief consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, disclosed the couple’s medical details publicly without authorization.
The doctor was also accused of obtaining ₦19 million from the couple between January and May 2025, claiming the money was for specialised IVF treatment.
Prosecutors told the court that Abebe allegedly presented himself as an expert in IVF procedures in order to secure the payment before converting the funds for personal use.
The alleged offence is punishable under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.
Court documents further claim that the doctor not only collected the money under false pretence but also converted some of the couple’s embryos for personal use.
Under Count One, Abebe is accused of unlawfully disclosing confidential medical records belonging to the couple without their consent, thereby breaching professional duty and causing emotional trauma.
Count Two alleges that he breached a confidentiality agreement by attaching sensitive medical information about Mr. Manga’s fertility status to a legal document that was later read and circulated among third parties.
For Count Three, the doctor is accused of defrauding the couple of ₦19 million under the false pretense of providing specialised IVF treatment despite allegedly lacking the required expertise.
When the charges were read to him in court, Dr. Abebe and Joje Abebe Hospital Limited pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, the management of Joje Fertility Centre has denied the allegations, describing the petition and criminal charges as “a calculated smear campaign intended to tarnish the reputation of the doctor after more than three decades of medical practice.”
The court has fixed April 2, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
