Canada-based Nigerian doctor under fire for touching 4 female patients inappropriately

The four women who made complaints against Dr. Adekunle Williams Owolabi were his patients in Labrador, Canada.

One woman said he commented on her body in an inappropriate manner, while another said such comments came following a pelvic exam.

Another woman said he had made inappropriate comments and hugged her.

Owolabi at the tribunal, said he has done nothing wrong. 

Owolabi is facing charges of professional misconduct, not criminal charges.  

The tribunal was called by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador, It licences physicians and regulates the medical profession. 

One of the complainants, Cayla Misurka, 27, testified at the hearing Tuesday morning. 

Cayla Misurka testifying against Dr. Adekunle Williams Owolabi at a professional misconduct hearing in St. John's. (Mark Quinn/ CBC)

Misurka said that Owolabi hugged her inappropriately a number of times. She complained to the police and the CPSNL after a visit to his clinic for back treatment.

"He asked if he could massage me and I said 'no.' He told me I was beautiful. He said: 'You know I love you and can I give you a peck?' I said 'no' and jumped off the [examining] table. I told him: 'This isn't right you shouldn't be doing these things to your patients.'"

Misurka said she felt "trapped" when the doctor tried to speak with her, and left quickly. She said she immediately went to police to make a complaint, but no criminal charge was laid.

Owolabi's lawyer Paul Stokes cross-examined Misurka. He said the physician's records say that he only hugged her once when she was in distress. She countered it happened many times and said she was not in distress when the hugs happened.

Stokes also asked if it was possible that Misurka misunderstood Owolabi, who is originally from Nigeria, because of his accent.

"No, I understood him very clearly," Misurka replied.

'He asked if he could massage me and I said 'no.' He told me I was beautiful.'

- Cayla Misurka

Misurka told the hearing that she continues to mistrust physicians as a result of what happened with Owolabi and won't even visit a hospital unaccompanied.

She also said  that she "hopes that Owolabi's medical license is taken away from him and this won't happen to anyone else."

The tribunal is expected to hear more testimony on Wednesday and sit again at a later date.

Source: CBC News