Fake Doctor Arrested

FRED NICKSON Anokye, a 63-year-old man posing as a medical doctor was arrested on Monday for illegally treating patients at his clinic located at Akaporiso in Obuasi in the Ashanti region.

Popularly known in the community as ‘Dr.’ Fred, the sexagenarian was originally a primary healthcare promoter/educator trained by the Church of Christ mission hospital.

But he has been practicing medicine from his Avril Keoughen Community Clinic at Akaporiso without a license and certificate since 1994, administering drugs and diagnosing patients.

He was granted a police enquiry bail of GH¢2,000 after his statement was taken by officers at the Obuasi Divisional Police Command.

Although his health facility is not registered, Mr. Anokye told DAILY GUIDE that the Avril Keoughen Community Clinic had recognition from the Ministry of Health and the Obuasi Municipal Health Directorate, an assertion Dr. David Akwasi Amankwah, the Obuasi Municipal Health Director, denied.

According to the quack doctor, he had been providing healthcare for patients with malaria, chronic diseases, tuberculosis, and other primary healthcare issues after his place was made a dot centre.

He denied having made a representation to the police and the society at large of being a medical doctor, explaining that it was rather members of the public that called him by that title.

When asked why he made a representation in his statement to the police that he was a medical doctor by profession in a case involving his cargo truck, Agya Anokye, as he now prefers to be called, said he was then under pressure.

“Please, I’m not a doctor. I am a primary healthcare worker, this is what our coordinator who trained told us at the time,” he insisted.

Dr. David Akwasi Amankwah told DAILY GUIDE in an interview that Mr. Anokye was not a medical doctor and had no recognition from his outfit.

According to him, his facility was also not accredited to qualify it for the practice of medicine, and therefore operating illegally.

Dr. Amankwah promised to ensure that the Avril Keoughen Community Clinic was closed down while the directorate mounted surveillance on him for any activity relating to the practice of medicine in the area.

The woes of the self-styled doctor began after he reported a senior police officer at the Obuasi Divisional Police Command to his superiors in Accra for what he termed as “unlawful detention.”

His failure to report an accident case involving his cargo truck with registration number AS 6764-11 along the Apam – Cape Coast road on January 6, 2012, resulted in his arrest and detention by the Obuasi MTTU.

A certain woman by name Comfort Okyere, resident at Anyinam in Obuasi, who was onboard the truck before the accident, sustained serious injury and was allegedly dumped at the Apam Government Hospital.

After managing to trace the owner of the track, the victim claimed ‘Dr.’ Fred told her that truck had been sent for repairs in Kumasi.

The MTTU officers in Obuasi had the information and then invited Agya Anokye to assist them get the driver, but he would not cooperate.

He was therefore arrested and detained to compel him to assist the police officers in their line of duty, but the man hit the roof, claiming he was a medical doctor with patients awaiting him at his clinic.

Agya Anokye accused the police officers of unlawful detention and made a complaint to a superior officer in Accra, who directed that the case be investigated.

It was through this investigation that the police discovered that the man was not a genuine medical officer.