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.
