11 September 2005 STUDENT HELD 'PRISONER' IN WARD SUES FOR £30M EXCLUSIVE By Donna White
A STUDENT who claims he was held in a psychiatric hospital against his will is suing for £30million.
Gordon Lotsu, 36, says he was sectioned after telling his GP, Dr Lesley Adams, he was being secretly filmed by members of his church.
Lotsu, a Jehovah's Witness, claims he was kept in Royal Edinburgh for almost a week.
He is suing Crewe Medical Centre in Edinburgh for £5million, the Jehovahs for £10million and Lothian Primary Care Trust for £15million.
His claim, lodged at the High Court in London, states he was imprisoned at the hospital in September 2002and given drugs against his will. He said: "This has destroyed my career, my reputation and finances. The claim is for the effect of the drugs on me."
The Ghanian engineer came to Britain in 2000 and joined the Jehovah's Witness Waverley congregation.
He claims to have heard a row between church members about secret filming of him. He says he found the tapes and was told he could have them wiped if he saw a doctor about his stress levels.
It was after this he was referred to hospital "against his judgment".
Dr Mike Winter, medical director, NHS Lothian Primary Care Organisation, said: "We can't comment owing to patient confidentiality and legal proceedings" A Jehovah's Witness spokesman said: "We believe there is no substance to the allegations