The desire to achieve a certain body shape has become increasingly popular among young people in Ghana, with cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), breast augmentation and tummy tucks attracting growing attention.

For some, these procedures offer a quick route to achieving a body shape they have struggled to attain through exercise or other conventional means.

Social media and celebrity culture have also contributed to the growing visibility of cosmetic surgery, with some public figures openly discussing procedures they have undergone.

But while the demand for body enhancement continues to grow, the risks associated with such procedures have also come under scrutiny, particularly following cases involving serious complications and deaths.

One of the cases that brought the dangers and controversies surrounding cosmetic procedures in Ghana into sharp focus was that of medical practitioner Dr Dominic Obeng-Andoh, popularly known as Dr Obengfo.

Cosmetic procedures, deaths and celebrity testimonies

The controversy surrounding Dr Obengfo's facility dates back several years, with reports of patients suffering complications after undergoing cosmetic procedures there.

In 2013, investigations by Joy News raised concerns about procedures being performed at the Obengfo Hospital at Weija in Accra.

The Medical and Dental Council subsequently raised questions about Dr Obeng-Andoh's professional status and his qualifications to perform certain cosmetic procedures.

The death of 47-year-old Rex Fafa Dagoe at the facility in March 2013 during a plastic surgery procedure further heightened concerns and led his family to petition the Medical and Dental Council for an investigation.

Dr Obengfo granted bail by Circuit Court

Despite the concerns, Dr Obengfo's facility continued to attract clients, including some celebrities.

Actress and musician Nana Frema Koranteng, for instance, publicly acknowledged undergoing liposuction at the facility and described herself as a ‘product’ of Dr Obengfo.

Comedienne Afia Schwarzenegger also publicly defended Dr Obengfo at the height of his legal troubles and claimed that several celebrities had patronised his facility.

Dr Obengfo himself later claimed that his clients included celebrities, politicians, medical doctors and their spouses, as well as clients from outside Ghana.

These testimonies contrasted sharply with the concerns raised by medical regulators and reports of complications involving some patients.

The Stacy Offei Darko case

The controversy surrounding Dr Obengfo took a more serious turn in 2018 following the death of Stacy Offei Darko, a former Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship Innovation Programme (NEIP).

According to the prosecution, Stacy visited the Obengfo Hospital on May 20, 2018, for a liposuction and fat-transfer procedure.

Unfortunately, she died at about 4 pm the following day.

Her death triggered a police investigation and resulted in Dr Obengfo being arrested and charged with murder.

A cleaner at the facility, Edward Amponsah, was also arrested and charged with impersonation after prosecutors alleged that he presented himself as Stacy's brother when her body was taken to a mortuary.

The case attracted considerable public attention as investigators sought to establish the circumstances surrounding Stacy's death and whether the cosmetic procedure had contributed to it.

Dr Obengfo, however, denied responsibility for her death.

He acknowledged that Stacy was his client but disputed claims that she died from complications associated with the procedure.

Arrest and concerns from the medical profession

Dr Obengfo's legal troubles were not limited to the Stacy Offei Darko case.

He had earlier faced allegations relating to the practice of medicine without the appropriate licence and the operation of an unlicensed health facility.

The Medical and Dental Council had previously raised concerns about his professional status.

According to court reports, investigations by the Council in 2015 found that Dr Obeng-Andoh had failed to renew his annual registration to practise as a medical doctor and to operate his private facility since 2013.

His arrest in connection with those allegations came in December 2016 when police reportedly went to his facility and found him performing a medical procedure on a patient.

The Ghana Medical Association also distanced itself from him at the time.

Then GMA President, Dr Kwabena Adusei-Poku, said Dr Obeng-Andoh was not considered a member in good standing of the Association because he had not paid his dues and fulfilled the requirements for membership.

My work has produced beautiful girls - Obengfo to critics

Earlier investigations by the Medical and Dental Council had also established that although Dr Obeng-Andoh was a medical doctor, he was not a specialist surgeon qualified to perform the cosmetic procedures he was undertaking.

How he secured bail

Following Stacy Offei Darko's death and his subsequent arrest, Dr Obengfo's lawyers sought bail for their client.

In June 2018, an Accra High Court rejected his initial bail application in the murder case.

Justice Kofi Dorgu considered the application premature because the autopsy report on Stacy's body was not yet available and there were concerns about possible interference with the investigation.

The court, however, allowed him to reapply for bail once the autopsy report became available.

Dr Obengfo was subsequently granted bail.

In July 2018, the High Court granted him GH¢100,000 bail with two sureties, one of whom was required to be justified.

By January 2019, court records indicated that he was on GH¢100,000 bail with one surety to be justified in connection with the Stacy case.

While the murder case remained before the court, Dr Obengfo was also dealing with another legal battle involving allegations that he had practised medicine without a licence and operated an unlicensed health facility.

From discharge to acquittal

That separate case suffered a major setback for the prosecution in January 2019.

An Accra Circuit Court discharged Dr Obengfo after the prosecution repeatedly failed to comply with court orders requiring it to serve the accused and his lawyers with the necessary disclosure documents.

The court held that an accused person should not be made to suffer because the prosecution was not ready to proceed with the case.

The prosecution subsequently revived the case.

But on October 8, 2019, Dr Obengfo was again before the court, this time facing the possibility of having to defend himself against the charges.

His lawyers filed a submission of no case.

The court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Essandoh, eventually acquitted and discharged him after finding that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence to require him to open his defence.

The court also identified inconsistencies and deficiencies in the evidence presented by the prosecution.

The ruling meant that Dr Obengfo was freed from the charges of practising medicine without a licence and operating an unlicensed health facility.

It is important to distinguish the two outcomes.

His earlier discharge in January 2019 was based on the prosecution's failure to properly prosecute the case, while the October 2019 acquittal and discharge followed the court's finding that the prosecution had not established sufficient evidence against him.

What experts say about cosmetic surgery

The controversy surrounding Dr Obengfo's cases has continued to form part of the wider conversation about the safety and regulation of cosmetic surgery in Ghana.

The growing interest in body enhancement means more Ghanaians are considering procedures ranging from liposuction and BBLs to breast augmentation and tummy tucks.

A 2026 study by Paa Ekow Hoyte-Williams, Daniel K. Osei and their co-researchers on aesthetic surgery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital found that 29% of patients had at least one medical comorbidity, while 84% underwent multiple procedures.

The study, which examined aesthetic surgery cases at the hospital, said the findings provide a baseline for future research into outcomes, complications, training and safety in aesthetic surgery in Ghana.

The researchers' findings underline the importance of proper medical assessment before cosmetic procedures, particularly because patients may have underlying medical conditions that could affect surgery or recovery.

For prospective clients, the issues go beyond the promise of achieving a particular body shape.

Questions about the qualifications of the practitioner, licensing of the facility, the type of procedure being offered, the patient's medical history and the possible complications are all critical considerations.

The story of Dr Obengfo from years of controversy surrounding his facility, through the death of Stacy Offei Darko, his arrest and bail, to his eventual acquittal and discharge on separate charges remains one of Ghana's most closely followed cosmetic surgery cases.

As the appetite for body enhancement continues to grow, the case serves as part of the country's broader debate over how cosmetic procedures should be performed, regulated and monitored to protect patients.

MRA/VPO

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