Four Nigerian health workers, comprising three women and one man, have been jailed in Wolverhampton, U.K., after they were caught on film physically and emotionally abusing an elderly patient.
A West Midlands Police report on Thursday, December 14, 2023, said Ame Tunkara, aged 33, from Prospect Way, Walsall, and Morounranti Adefila, aged 43, from Woodhall Street, Walsall, were found guilty and were both sentenced on December 8th to four months in prison.
The report added that Danny Ohen, aged 39, from Riley Crescent, Wolverhampton, and Bridget Aideyan, aged 49, from Cadle Road, Wolverhampton, were found guilty and sentenced to six months and four months, respectively, on November 14 in a further trial.
The West Midland Police added that the woman, 89, was at a Wolverhampton care home and had been tortured for nearly one year before the crime was exposed. She has vascular dementia and cannot speak.
The family had noticed bruising on the woman’s arm after she had been in the home for a year. She had also become nervous and was scared to be touched, the detectives added.
“The family’s worst fears were confirmed after they installed a covert video camera and discovered care assistants verbally and physically abusing their loved one,” the police report indicated, adding that “the footage filmed over four days in February 2020 showed the elderly woman being roughly handled, hit with a pillow, and treated with an utmost lack of dignity and respect.”
The police also disclosed that the victim’s family had secretly installed a camera in February 2020 and recorded the abuse for over four days.
It showed the woman being handled roughly, hit with a pillow, and treated with a lack of dignity and respect, West Midlands Police said.
“When the abuse was reported to the home, three members of staff were immediately dismissed, and three other agency staff were suspended,” said the police.
Police said another two suspects were identified after the footage was reviewed.
Eight care assistants were charged, and four were found not guilty after a trial.
“This elderly woman sadly died in October and should not have spent any of her remaining years suffering such ill-treatment,” Det Con Kathryn Sargent, from the Force’s Adult Care Abuse Investigation Tea noted.
“On sentencing, Judge Campbell described the footage as “chilling.” I hope the lady’s family is content that justice has been served.”
David Atherton, a UK journalist, wrote on platform X, formerly tweeting, “Four Nigerian healthcare workers have been found guilty of abusing an 89-year-old woman with vascular dementia in Wolverhampton.” Hundreds have been reacting to his tweet, calling on UK authorities to deport the four abusers.
