'Fake' doctor, nurse nabbed
2009-09-04 20:33
Johannesburg - Two women, practising as a doctor and nurse out of a hotel in Hillbrow, have been arrested for impersonating medical practitioners, police said on Friday.
Spokesperson Bhekizizwe Mavundla said the women, aged 53 and 56, were arrested at the Hillbrow Inn on Thursday afternoon after a tip-off from the public.
The women, both from Zimbabwe, were conducting a surgery in the hotel.
The alleged doctor had no papers to prove her qualification and the apparent nurse only had a photocopied certificate.
Neither was registered with the SA Medical Council.
They had no practice number and were using a stamp for prescriptions that bore the name of another doctor for whom they claimed to be working.
However, a cellphone number they gave as belonging to that doctor rang through to the 'fake' doctor.
Equipment
Also found in their possession were state documents carrying the South African emblem, which are used to produce death certificates. This indicates they could be working with certain undertakers.
"This raises suspicion to wrongdoing of some kind," Mavundla said.
He said police would visit some addresses to investigate if the people identified as dead in the documents were in fact deceased.
"Medication, surgical equipment and other accessories have been seized as evidence."
Mavundla said the women had been charged with fraud and impersonating a medical practitioner.
They appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate's Court on Friday and were granted bail of R1 000.
They will appear in court again on September 25.
- SAPA
