‘Fake’ heart surgeon arrested in Tamale after GHc12,000 fraud

The Northern Regional Police Criminal Investigations Department has arrested one Murtala Mohammed for claiming to be a specialist heart surgeon and allegedly defrauded a lady of her GHc 12,000 under the pretense of securing her a job.

According to the victim, in 2018, she met the suspect at the Tamale Teaching Hospital dressed in a white laboratory shirt and introduced himself as a medical doctor at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

In November the same year, the suspect allegedly told the victim that he could assist her to gain employment at the Ghana Revenue Authority and took the said amount to facilitate the process.

A search conducted in the suspect’s room by the police revealed documents such as employment certificate letters, hospital scan reports bearing several names including that of the complainant.

In a bid to prevent the activities of fake doctors, all medical practitioners have been mandated to carry a practitioner’s stamp bearing their name and number since January 2018, following a directive by the Medical and Dental Council.

The Medical and Dental Council said this measure was also being put in place to ensure that practitioners with the Council are easily identified by the patients they care for.

It is believed this will help root out persons who operate as medical practitioners without licenses.

A 45-year-old man who carried himself as a medical doctor and allegedly engaged in illegal abortion was recently arrested by the Police at Esreso in the Bosomtwi District of the Ashanti region.

Samuel Boateng is said to have no formal medical training, certificate or licence to practice in the country.

Police said his operations resulted in health complications for one of his victims who is battling her life at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.

Source: Citinewsroom.com