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Hawks launch man-hunt for bogus doctors
The men, between the ages of 37 and 53, are facing charges of fraud, contravention of the Medicines and Related Substances Act as well as contravention of the Health Professions Act.
Photo: Supplied.
The Hawks have appealed to the public to assist in locating three bogus doctors in the Western Cape who were busted in 2018 and have since escaped police custody after an operation by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team based in Bellville.
According to the Hawks, the men between the ages of 37 and 53 are facing charges of fraud, contravention of the Medicines and Related Substances Act as well as contravention of the Health Professions Act.
The operation was initiated because of a tip-off that alarmed authorities that the three men were suspected to be practicing without licences and operating as medical doctors in the areas between Bellville and Khayelitsha.
Investigations proved that indeed not only were the men not registered with the Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) but they were also dispensing medication and medical certificates to patients using genuine doctors’ details and practice numbers for financial gain.
The first two suspects, Bunnel Kitete Tunda and Jeremy Liyongo Bompemo were found on their premises doing business as usual, apprehended, granted R5000 bail and have since been on the run. Police have since issued their warrants of arrest.
The third suspect (pictured below) who also practiced illegally in Khayelitsha during 2018 is also missing in action and could not be traced after the undercover operations. The pictures are attached and police believe that the man in the third picture can assist in shedding light on the matter
Authorities have urged the public to assist with anyone information that might assist assist them in finding these culprits.
Anyone with information than can lead to the arrest of the suspects is urged to contact the investigating officer, Colonel Morne Pierre Vos on 082 481 3164.
Bogus doctors statistics in real-time:
Since 3 August 2022, the HPCSA has revealed that 55 people were arrested between 2021 and 2022 for either being bogus doctors or for fraud. Of the 806 complaints received, 732 cases were finalised, and 116 cases were reported to the police, in which 55 people were arrested.
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