Fake KATH Nurses Convicted, Fined GH¢12,000 Each for Impersonation and Illegal Medical Practice
Two individuals who fraudulently posed as healthcare professionals at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have been convicted by the Asokwa Circuit Court in Kumasi and each fined GH¢12,000 after pleading guilty to multiple criminal charges involving impersonation, forgery, and illegal medical practice.
The convicts, 33-year-old Evelyn Atta Amankwah, a private nurse from Broffoyedru, and 29-year-old Collins Agyemang, a self-employed welder, were arrested after posing as staff pretending to be KATH staff while providing unauthorized medical services to unsuspecting members of the public.
According to the prosecution, their illegal activities began in June 2024 when Evelyn allegedly paid GH¢200 to a printing press operator in Asuase, Kumasi, to produce fake Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital identification cards.
The forged IDs falsely identified Evelyn as a Disease Control Officer and Collins as an Enrolled Nurse.
Armed with the counterfeit identification cards, the pair repeatedly visited shops and business premises in Asokwa, Kumasi, where they introduced themselves as public health officers and residents who believed they were genuine healthcare workers.
They then offered medical services and distributed suspected illicit drugs, vaccines, and medications to traders and residents who believed they were genuine healthcare workers.
Their operation came to an end after a legitimate public health officer at KATH became suspicious and alerted the hospital’s security team. Security personnel quickly apprehended the suspects and handed them over to the police for investigation.
During the investigation, police recovered the fake KATH identification cards, vaccines, and various medicines from the suspects. Both admitted to the offences in their caution statements.
The two were charged with conspiracy to commit forgery, forgery of documents, and practising medicine without registration under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act and the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act.
They pleaded guilty with explanation before Her Honour Vida Agyapong at the Asokwa Circuit Court Two and were convicted on their own plea.
The court imposed a fine of 1,000 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢12,000, on each convict. In addition, Evelyn Atta Amankwah was sentenced to one day in prison; however, the custodial sentence was suspended after the court took into consideration her pregnancy.
The case has raised renewed concerns over the growing threat of impersonation within Ghana’s healthcare system and the risks posed by unqualified individuals providing medical services.
Health authorities have urged the public to verify the identities of healthcare workers and report any suspicious persons pretending to represent medical institutions without proper authorization.