NIGERIA: Fake Doctor Jailed For Using Friend’s Certificate To Secure Health Ministry Job

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

In a dramatic twist to Nigeria’s fight against corruption, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has exposed and convicted Mr. Martins Ugwu, for impersonating his best friend and stealing his medical certificate to secure a lucrative position at the Federal Ministry of Health.

In a press release signed by Demola Bakare, Acting Director of Public Enlightenment and Education of the ICPC, it was revealed that Ugwu was sentenced to four years in prison by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi.

Ugwu’s actions, which spanned over a decade, included falsifying documents, earning an estimated ₦17.2 million in salaries, and attempting to enroll in postgraduate medical training under the false identity of Dr. George Daniel Davidson.

The ICPC’s investigation, which began in February 2016, uncovered that Ugwu had used fake credentials to deceive the Federal Civil Service Commission into hiring him in 2006.

According to the Commission, his offenses contravened Section 25 (1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, a violation punishable under Section 25 (1) (b).

During sentencing, the ICPC Counsel, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, urged the court to enforce restitution, demanding that Ugwu return all earnings received while fraudulently employed.

Justice Kutigi, emphasising the dangers posed by quackery in the medical profession, sentenced Ugwu to six months imprisonment on each of the seven counts, to run consecutively, with an additional one-year jail term if restitution was not fulfilled.

“This case exemplifies the extent to which impersonators can endanger public health,” Justice Kutigi said. “The sentencing is a warning to others who may be tempted to engage in such fraudulent practices.”

The ICPC reiterated its commitment to exposing fraudulent practices and ensuring justice is served to safeguard public institutions from corrupt individuals.