The attorney for Dr. Gabriel Ogbonnaya, the Mesa physician arrested last week and accused of sexually abusing two female patients, continues to attack the investigation conducted by the Mesa Police Department before Ogbonnaya's arrest.
Ogbonnaya was arrested last Wednesday after two female patients at his Healing Touch clinic claimed he sexually assaulted them during office visits.
According to court documents acquired by New Times, the victims say Ogbannaya made sexual advances toward them -- including patting their vaginas and insisting that they "have more sex" -- despite the victims being adamant that his behavior was unwanted.
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Ogbonnaya's lawyer, Jan Buescher, told New Times last week that, among other claims, she believes the Mesa Police Department didn't bother to question office staff who would normally be in the examination room when Ogbonnaya dealt with patients.
"Dr. Ogbonnaya has been a respected doctor for 19 years," Buescher says. "That entire time it's been his policy to have a member of his staff in the room."
Mesa police Detective Steve Berry told New Times he isn't sure whether office staff was questioned beforeo the charges were brought, but several Valley Fever readers claiming to be patients of Ogbonnaya say he rarely has staff present during examinations.
Buescher raised the question of whether there was enough evidence to arrest Ogbonnaya at all.
In a statement sent to New Times, Buescher criticized statements made by Berry in which he says, "We're still in the early stages of the investigation. We're going to interview all of the people that need to be interviewed and go from there."
In response to Berry's comments, Buescher makes a decent point: "Shouldn't this have been done prior to Dr. Ogbonnaya's very public arrest at his office?"
Ogbonnaya has been charged with two counts of sexual abuse -- one for each alleged victim.
Anyone with information that might be useful in the investigation of Dr. Ogbonnaya is encouraged to contact the Mesa Police Department at 480-644-2211.
