As Prosecution Began Producing Witnesses In The Case Of Lofa Medical Services Clinic
PHOTO: Defendant Sam Worlobah at the court
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia–Following his first appearance at Criminal Court’B’ recently, the alleged fake doctor at the Lofa Medical Service Clinic near the Liberian capital, Sam Worlobah entered into a not guilty plea after his indictment was read in open court.
His not guilty plea led him to join issues with the state.
The defendant through his lawyers, mainly from the public defense office, on Thursday, August 14, 2025 requested for jury trial in the Criminal Court ‘B’ presided over by assigned Judge Wesseh A. Wesseh.
Defendant Worlobah was indicted during February A.D.2025 term of court by the grand jury of Montserrado County for the crime of murder.
His not guilty plea made state lawyers to begin producing witnesses against defendant Worlobah.
State lawyers first witness was Dr. Augustus Quiah who said, he’s the registrar general of the Liberia Medical and Dental Council responsible for giving licenses to qualified medical doctors, surgeons and allied health professionals under the act that established the Liberia Medical and Dental Council 2010 act.
He further said that the medical council also gives license to physicians Assistance, operating room technicians to assist the doctors or surgeons who are not licensed medical doctors.
Dr. Quiah on the witness stand testified that above named health professionals are not licensed to practice as a doctor or surgeon but to assist which is the authorized scope under the Liberia Medical Dental Council.
Testifying on the direct, Dr.Quiah said, defendant Worlobah was brought to their office through a communication from the lawmaker of District #2 Montserrado County and their acceptance of the communication, they dispatched their clinical team to investigate and gather the nature of the clinic.
He added that based on their investigation, it was discovered that defendant Worlobah who performed a surgery on the deceased wasn’t a medical doctor or surgeon.
“Consistent with medical practice, surgeon is licensed by the Liberia Medical and Dental Council to practice surgical procedures which is in line with World Health Organization and International practices “ Dr. Quiah told court.
The Registrar General of the Medical Council in Liberia said, the conduct of the defendant was in breach of Section 61.16 subchapter C #1 which is practicing beyond the scope of medical profession and it was on this basis, we wrote the Justice Ministry to prosecute the defendant.
Prosecution of the defendant falls under Section 61.19 which is unauthorized practice or medical criminal act and it’s punishable under the penal law of Liberia Dr. Quiah explained.
What were some elements you gathered from the defendant clinic state lawyer ask Dr. Quiah? He responded and said, during their investigation, “we notice that the surgery was performed by unauthorized health worker (unauthorized he’s not a general surgeon) and the surgery was performed in a substandard way.
Dr. Quiah admitted that defendant Sam Worlobah is licensed as an operating room technician who is not allowed to perform surgery but to assist the surgeon.
However, the defendant was cross examined by defense lawyers who drill the witness Dr. Quiah with some tough questions.
“Mr. Witness in your testimony, you may mentioned about medical criminal act. Am I correct”? Dr. Quiah answered in the positive. He explained that medical criminal acts considered murder.
The defense lawyer further asked, a team from your office that visited the Lofa medical services clinic. Did they see the victim, Samuel Kollie? Dr. Quiah answered no and explained that upon his team arrival at the health facility, the deceased corpse was taken away by the family.
Based upon his answer above, the defense team again asked, your team didn’t see the deceased corpse. Did you did see the body as well? Witness Quiah said, he didn’t see the body of the deceased.
Mr. Witness you didn’t see the deceased body which means, your reliance is hear say. Am I correct? He responded in the negative and provided explanation that during their visit at the health facility, they obtained the Patient’s chart, medical record and death certificate of the deceased where it was discovered on the death certificate that deceased died from heart failure even though he was being operated for appendicitis.
He added that death certificate was with a title Dr. Sam Worlobah when he’s not a medical doctor.
Prosecution’s second witness in person of Mary Kollie sister to the decision and testified that she took her brother Samuel Kollie to the Lofa Medical services clinic for treatment through a recommendation from a friend.
She further explained that defendant charged them US275 and she begged for reduction of the fee to 225 which they provided the first 36,000Liberian dollars for the conduct of the surgery.
Witness Kollie, said, following huge payment of the surgery fee, her brother was taken to the operation room by defendant Worlobah and the surgery was performed with an object removed from the side of her deceased brother. Following the surgery, defendant Worlobah called to take photo of the object taken from deceased brother, but she instructed her older brother Moses Kollie to do so.
“An hour after the surgery, her deceased complained of hunger and weakness and they informed defendant Worlobah of the complaint of the victim/deceased, but the defendant instructed them to only give water at the moment and prepare him cream of wheat” deceased sister told court.
On March 18,2025, she received a call from her other Aaron Kollie that their brother had died. Her testimony to be continued on Thursday, August 21,2025.