An Ogun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Sagamu has sentenced a
fake doctor, Patrick Adebanjo, to one year in prison without an option
of fine for impersonation.
The convict, who claimed to have graduated from the Olabisi
Onabanjo University in 2003, was convicted by Magistrate Sola
Adebayo-Alebiosu for impersonation with intention to defraud members of
the public.
The police had arraigned Adebanjo for performing surgery
unprofessionally on a pregnant woman after she had lost her baby in a
hospital where he worked as a medical doctor.
Adebayo-Alebiosu, in her judgement, a copy of which was obtained by
a Punch correspondent on Tuesday, said she was moved by the atrocities
committed by the convict before his eventual arrest.
Adebanjo was arrested following a petition written by members of
the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria,
Ogun State chapter, against him for his unprofessional conduct.
The Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Gbenga Folohunsho, had
told the court that investigation revealed that the convict had been
parading himself as a medical practitioner and performing surgeries on
unsuspecting members of the public.
He explained that after receiving the petition from the state
chapter of the AGPMPN, he had to lure Adebanjo by pretending to be a
patient, who needed urgent medical treatment, before he was arrested.
The IPO said when the police searched the convict’s house in
Ijebu-Ode, items like scrub, theatre uniform, sodium chloride, a bag of
medical instruments, stethoscope and the Olabisi Onabajo University
Teaching Hospital identity card, among others, were found.
Four doctors and two other persons testified against the convict,
who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the one count of impersonation.
Those who testified against the convict said his illegal activities
had resulted in the loss of lives of innocent members of the society.
While delivering her judgement, the magistrate submitted that the
prosecution had successfully discharged the burden of proof beyond
reasonable doubt.
“The defendant, indeed, did impersonate and his intention was
to defraud, hence, the misrepresentation. I, therefore, find the
defendant guilty of the sole count,” the magistrate stated.
0 comments:
Post a Comment