The Sierra Leone High Court has rejected the application of a foreign doctor to register and practice medicine in the country, citing his lack of qualifications and the Medical and Dental Council’s adherence to its responsibilities. Cyprian Ibeawugnichim Okoro, a Nigerian doctor who became qualified in 1986, initiated legal action against the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Council in September 2023. However, Justice Komba Kamanda dismissed the case on January 17th, 2024, declaring that Okoro’s application lacked merit due to the Council’s appropriate actions.
Okoro’s professional history in Nigeria and the United Kingdom raised doubts about his suitability to practice medicine in Sierra Leone. In 2013, he received an interim suspension from the Nigerian General Medical Council. Additionally, a court in England convicted him of possessing extreme pornography, and allegations of sexual assault against women have been leveled against him. The Council, exercising its legal authority, refused Okoro’s registration based on these concerns. The High Court upheld the Council’s decision, affirming its duty to safeguard the public by ensuring that only qualified and ethical medical practitioners are permitted to practice in Sierra Leone. “The application filed through originating summons dated September 18th, 2023, against the Medical and Dental Council of Sierra Leone by Cyprian Ibeawughichim Okoro, is hereby dismissed as lacking merit, as the Medical and Dental Council of Sierra Leone acted within its mandate,” the court ruled.
