A Nigerian man, Lucius Njoku, has been sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, for impersonating a female nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire, UK. Njoku, 33, worked as a healthcare assistant under the name of his friend, Joyce George, a registered nurse, between February and April 2024.
Despite wearing George’s NHS badge with her photograph, Njoku was able to work undetected for weeks, attending to seriously ill patients. His deception was only discovered when a patient confronted him about his identity, to which he responded, “My name is Joyce, but I am a man.”
Njoku was given an 80-hour unpaid work order and ordered to pay £239 in costs and surcharge. His lawyer argued that he took the job due to financial hardship and that his safeguarding checks hadn’t been completed. However, the judge emphasized that Njoku’s actions undermined the DBS and safeguarding system.
George, who allowed Njoku to use her identity, has been charged with fraud and is believed to have fled to Nigeria. An arrest warrant has been issued for her.
Stay informed about the latest developments affecting Nigerians in the diaspora!
Follow us for more updates:
facebook.com/TheNidm
www.thenidm.com
#Impersonation #NHS #Healthcare #Deception #JusticeServed
