Fake QECH ‘doctor’ gets 6 years IHL

The Blantyre Principal Resident Magistrate’s Court has sentenced Wongani Kandulu, who posed as a medical doctor at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, to six years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL).

The court also fined Kandulu K30 000 or serve four months IHL in default.

The sentences, which will run concurrently, are for the offences of impersonating a public officer contrary to Section 99(b) of the Penal Code and impersonating a medical doctor respectively.

Kandulu’s first offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years IHL while the second one attracts a one-year sentence and a fine of K200 000, but the court considered the fact that he is a first offender and he is young; hence, has a chance to change.

Passing judgement, principal resident magistrate Innocent Nebi told the court that Kandulu’s case is not an isolated one as last month the court sentenced another fake doctor from QECH to six years IHL and on Tuesday, another bogus doctor was arrested at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe.

He said: “It appears this sad behaviour is taking course and it is the duty of this court to put a stop to this. The medical profession is highly regulated because the people deal with lives of patients. It takes years of vigorous study to become a medical doctor. One cannot just wake up and become a medical doctor.”

The magistrate also told the court that the case has aggravating factors which include that in most cases, people go to hospitals because they are not feeling well and they want to meet qualified doctors and nurses to assist them and not someone who is not qualified.

Kandulu, full name Wongani Kumbukani Horace Kandulu, was arrested in October 2014 while ‘on duty’ at QECH after he was caught impersonating Dr Akuzike Kandulu who works as a medical director at Mota-Engil. He looked relaxed throughout the entire sentencing process.