HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The case involving the doctor accused of sexually assaulting a patient is now before the District Court of Guam.
A complaint and demand for a jury trial was filed in federal court Oct. 18 against Dr. Ugochukwu Akoma who owns Hepzibah Family Medicine Clinic in Tamuning.
The complaint filed involves a female patient who was allegedly assaulted on two separate occasions in October 2021 while under Akoma’s care. The patient sought help for anxiety and depression that stemmed from past sexual assaults.
“On Oct. 23, 2021, (the) plaintiff went to (the) defendant’s clinic. Others were at the clinic, including some veterans. (The) defendant asked the plaintiff to follow him into the empty waiting room.
“(The) plaintiff and defendant sat down in the empty room, with (the) defendant on (the) plaintiff’s right side. (The) defendant then put his hand on (the) plaintiff’s thigh. (The) plaintiff’s mind froze, and she began to panic and was scared,” the document filed in District Court said.
The complaint stated that Akoma kissed the patient and “shoved his tongue into her mouth.” This allegedly occurred three times, “each time shoving his tongue in her mouth.”
The female patient recalled that Akoma had touched her inappropriately and tried to pull her zipper down.
“While doing this, he pulled her mask down again. (The plaintiff had pulled it back up) and began to kiss her again, shoving his tongue in her mouth again, and continued rubbing her vagina. (The) plaintiff asked him several times to stop, but he continued,” the complaint said.
Second assault
The second assault occurred on the same day. According to the complaint, the female patient had returned to the doctor’s clinic to pick up documents for her father, who was “seriously ill and disabled.”
During the second incident, the patient alleged that Akoma again kissed her and touched her inappropriately.
“(The) plaintiff continued to tell him to stop and tried to remove his hands, but he continued on. (The) defendant tried to pull her pants zipper down, and she again said no and told him to stop,” court documents state.
The complaint stated that the defendant then pulled out his genitals and told the victim to “kiss it.”
According to the complaint, the woman could not leave her home for two months following the alleged assaults.
The female patient initially spoke with The Guam Daily Post in January 2022. At the time, the incidents had been reported to the Guam Police Department and the Guam Board of Medical Examiners.
Akoma was charged in the Superior Court of Guam almost a year after the incident occurred. He is awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, no action on Akoma’s medical license has been taken by the GBME, which has put his case on hold as a result of the criminal proceedings. The GBME did, however, implement a restriction that requires that a chaperone is present at all times when Akoma is with a female patient.
The case now before the District Court of Guam seeks punitive or exemplary damages in the amount of $81,000 for pain, suffering and emotional damages.
History of accusations
Akoma has a history of similar accusations levied against him that date back to 2007 when he was practicing in other parts of the U.S.
On Jan. 8, 2018, Akoma signed a settlement agreement with the Iowa Board of Medical Examiners listing four allegations of sexual misconduct at medical facilities he worked at in Arkansas, Iowa, California and Texas.
The settlement agreement alleges “unwanted sexual comments” and “unwanted sexual advances” were made toward female co-workers. He is also alleged to have violated appropriate examination procedures for female patients.
The District Court of Guam building as seen Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in Hagåtña.
Ugochukwu Akoma
