By PAUL OLAYEMI

A pastor who was allegedly smuggled into a private hospital in Sapele, Delta State on Saturday, after he developed Coronavirus complications has reportedly died Monday night while awaiting evacuation after the hospital was closed by the Delta State Ministry of Health monitoring team.

The pastor, Wilson Okotie, Senior Pastor, High Impact Christian Centre, located along Akintola

Road, Opposite Ita Lane, Sapele, Delta State, was said to have fallen sick on Thursday night and was taken to a clinic in Warri, from where he was again refered back to the clinic in Sapele.

The late pastor was said to have died at about 6:40 pm while awaiting evacuation from Treasurehold Specialist Hospital along Ugbeyiyi road in Sapele, where he was admitted and been secretly managed against COVID-19 protocol.

Dr Richard Ikwuogu, who was leading the Delta State Ministry of Health Epidemiology inspection/monitoring of health facilities, and incident manager of Covid-19 response team, on

Monday, on a tip-off had stormed the hospital premises, where the deceased was admitted and

sealed it, after finding out that two patients were being treated for Coronavirus.

However, Vanguard was informed that the ambulance that came to evacuate the remains of the suspected COVID-19 patient was attacked by some persons suspected to be the late man’s family

members.

According to the source who craved anonymity, “They attacked the ambulance that came to remove the corpse, threatening to burn it, maybe they were angry that the health status of their brother was revealed.

“The driver escaped with the ambulance and as I speak to you the chairman is making arrangements with the security agencies to send the team back,” he said. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Vanguard)