As if from a Hollywood movie, whereby an over-ambitious person’s want for a career without the effort, sees him faking it, in order to make it. Now yes, there are people who on a daily basis, around the world, “butter up” qualifications. But then there are those who downright lie. In industries such as the medical sector, this could result in grave consequences or people being hurt.
You and I would see pretending to be a medical professional as simply a silly idea. Yet, a man pretending to be a medical doctor has been arrested, bringing his criminal career to an abrupt end.
He was arrested in Babanango, Northern KwaZulu-Natal by the Gluckstadt SAPS and Vryheid K9 Unit, together with the Vryheid Crime Intelligence Unit.
The con artist’s arrest follows police receiving a complaint about a doctor who was practising at a hospital in Mahlabathini. The doctor had allegedly disappeared with a staggering R400 000, which had belonged to his colleagues.
An intensive investigation revealed the 24-year-old man was a fake doctor and was wanted for three fraud cases committed in Secunda and Mamelodi. According to the SAPS, he left the two areas and went to work at Mahlabathini, posing as a doctor, before disappearing after three months with the cash.
After the matter was reported to the police, a case of fraud was opened at Mahlabathini police station for investigation.
Unfortunately for this slippery criminal, police tracked him down and In the early hours of Monday morning, August 31, police went to the Ntinini area in Babanango, where the suspect was arrested and charged for fraud.
Trying to save himself and con his way out of prison’s clutches following his arrest, he took police to Mondlo, where copies of tertiary certificates, cellphones, his tertiary gown and stethoscope were recovered.
However, further investigations revealed the suspect was a medical student for a year before dropping out.
He is now set to appear at the Vryheid Magistrate’s Court and we can only but wonder what creative story he will concoct for his court appearance.
Authors: Quinton Boucher and Calvin Swemmer
Edited: Calvin Swemmer
