The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the police, on Thursday, arrested an alleged fake medical doctor, identified as Charles George, 60, said to be treating COVID-19 patients.
George was arrested in his one-room apartment at Block 1, Julius Berger Junior Staff Quarters, popularly known as Berger Camp, in Kubwa, by police detectives from the office of the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory.
Journalists saw the suspect at the FCT Police Command headquarters, where he was being quizzed by detectives.
Among the items recovered from him are syringe (for abortion) and kidney dish, among others.
The police said George “has been vetted as a regular customer of the FCDA Police Station and Kubwa Area Command Headquarters for several matters in connection with mixed medicine and extortion of his clients since 2016.”
The Deputy Registrar and Head of the Inspectorate Department of the MDCN, Dr. Victor Gbenro, described the arrest as “a major breakthrough.”
He said, “The arrest of the suspected fake medical/alternative medicine practitioner, by name Dr. Charles George, at his Kubwa premises is a major breakthrough for the MDCN under the leadership of the Registrar, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi.
“Acting on an intelligence report from the IG intelligence team, the Inspectorate Department of the MDCN as directed by the registrar effected the successful arrest of the fake doctor, who has been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public and posing as a member of the NCDC COVID-19 team.
“The suspect is alleged to have been practising alternative medicine without registration or licence from the MDCN, which is statutorily mandated to regulate the practice of medical, dental and alternative medicine in Nigeria.
“Investigation revealed that his practice is not known or registered by the FCDA Private Health Facility Registration Agency. The police have commenced further investigation and prosecution of the suspect. This is one among the several efforts of the council at sanitising the medical profession in the country.”
The police presented a fake letterhead and COVID-19 cure threat SMS through which the suspect was allegedly blackmailing his clients.
The police said the unprofessional medical treatment administered by George on his clients required “urgent medical attention” as they “may lead to sudden and unnatural death.”
The report by the police prior to the arrest asked the Registrar of MDCN and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to safeguard the lives of Nigerians by inspecting the single room clinic that George was using and bring him to justice.
The report was titled: ‘Intelligence report on impersonating COVID-19 response team (NCDC), extortion and illicit clinical medical practices by one Mr. Charles George of Block One, Julius Berger Junior Staff Quarters, Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT, Abuja.’ (Punch)
