A fake doctor who applied to work as a medical practitioner at the Owusu Memorial Hospital in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo regional capital, has been fined GH¢14,400 by the Sunyani Circuit Court.
Collins Kofi Oparku, the convict, will be imprisoned for seven years if he fails to pay the fine.
The court, presided over by Ms Justice Amanda Aikins, a justice of the High Court sitting as an additional Circuit Court judge, slapped Oparku with the fine after he pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery of official document and practising medicine without licence.
Documents
According to the prosecution, Oparku was busted after the hospital authorities sent his documents to the Medical and Dental Council (MDC) to ascertain whether he had registered with the council to practise medicine.
The documents included Oparku’s supposed Bachelor of Surgery degree which indicated that he graduated from the University of Ghana in 2009.
There was also a signed copy of the Physicians Oath issued the same year.
However, Oparku’s name could not be traced on the permanent, provisional or temporary registers of the MDC.
“It was identified that the signatures of the vice chancellor and the registrar of the university were different from all other certificates that were issued by the university in 2009.
“Instead of the signature of Professor Clifford Nii-Boi Tagoe who was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana from 2006 to 2009, the certificate rather bore the signature of Professor Ernest Aryeetey who was Vice Chancellor of the University from 2010 to 2016,” the prosecution said.
Arrest
When the MDC sent an investigation team to the hospital, it found out that Oparku was at the facility.
The matter was, therefore, reported to the police and Oparku was arrested.
“Upon interrogation, he admitted having forged the documents with the assistance of one Nii Laryea in Accra. He was, however, unable to mention the exact location of the said Nii Laryea,” the prosecution added.
PHOTO: Fake doctor fined, in default seven years’ imprisonment
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