Luthumba started operating his surgery in 2017 in the Paarl area and charged R270 per consultation, Hani said.
Cape Town - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) has secured the conviction and sentencing of a bogus doctor operating in Cape Town.
A statement released by Hawks provincial spokeswoman Zinzi Hani said Congolese national Tshikala Luthumba, aged 37, was sentenced in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Bellville on Thursday.
She said Luthumba had been deceiving patients by dispensing medication without the necessary qualifications and a valid license between 2017 and 2018.
He entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the state after he was charged for violating the Health Professions Act and other related medical acts as well as fraud and forgery.
Luthumba started operating his surgery in 2017 in the Paarl area and charged R270 per consultation, Hani said.
“He has been sentenced to two years house arrest for fraud, additionally five years for forgery and uttering wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of similar offences during the period of suspension,” she said.
“This comes after his arrest with other suspects on similar offences by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation on June 14, 2018 during a sting operation.”
Hani said the investigation was ongoing and the arrests of more suspects had not been ruled out.
In a separate incident, Hani said an integrated law enforcement operation by the Hawks’ Organised Crime Investigation team assisted by the Tactical Response Team, the Asset Forfeiture Unit and the Department of Environmental Forestry and Fisheries in Gansbaai, Hermanus, Hawston, Stanford, Bredasdorp, Pearly Beach and Kuilsrivier, targeted at the illegal trade in abalonem, had led to the arrest of 48-year-old Eugene Jason Heradien.
Heradien appeared in the Western Cape high court on Thursday and was ordered to forfeit the R205 000 that was confiscated during his arrest.
African News Agency (ANA)