NEWS: Fake doctor arrested for N89m health insurance scam

                                       

A fake medical doctor, Mr. Ibukun Ojo, has been arrested by the Special Fraud Unit Ikoyi, Lagos, for his role in an attempt to defraud the Canadian Government of N89m health insurance claims. His accomplice, Steve Fakolujo, is said to be on the run.

In May 2012, Ojo had allegedly prepared a fake medical report for Fakolujo, a Nigerian citizen who resides in Canada. This was to enable Fakolujo to claim the sum of N89m in the form of health insurance from the Canadian Government.

Ojo, an alleged medical dropout from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, was until his arrest the Medical Director, Mount Zion Hospital, at 2, Mukandasi Street, Oja-Oke, Oshodi.

At the bungalow where Ojo works and lives, he doubles as the doctor, nurse, receptionist and cleaner.

The Commissioner of Police, SFU, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, while parading the suspect, said, “We received a petition from the Canadian High Commission on March 6, 2013 alleging a case of fraud against Mount Zion Hospital.

“They claimed Ojo had forged the following documents to enable Fakolujo to claim health insurance from the Canadian Government; medical professional and consultation charges, drugs and medications, ambulance fees, accommodation and feeding, other miscellaneous expenses.”

A copy of the medical summary made available to PUNCH Metro and addressed to the Manager, Canassistance, Quebec, Canada, revealed that Fakolujo was allegedly taken to the Mount Zion hospital by ambulance on May 20, 2012.

 

Fakolujo was said to be on oxygen mask and life-support machine and his pulse almost absent. The summary read in part, “He was diagnosed with severe gastroenteritis and was already in hypovolemic shock; thorough resuscitative and stabilisation machinery instituted, vigorous intravenous rehydration employed.

“On May 24, 2012 the pulse became stronger and visiting nephrologists confirmed renal failure.

Fakolujo was immediately booked for renal dialysis. After the procedure, blood chemistry became normal, oral diet was re-introduced. He was eventually diagnosed with plasmodiasis and treated accordingly. He was discharged in good health on June 2, 2012.”

Attached to the summary was a bill which claimed Fakolujo had spent N89m as his medical expenses.

The breakdown showed that accommodation and feeding were N19.9m; medical professional and consultation charges N28m; drugs and medication N19.6m; ambulance fees N10.1m; and miscellaneous expenses N5.7m.

Ojo, who was moody during the parade, reluctantly gave a few words in his defence to PUNCH Metro.

He said, “I have never been to Canada and I know nothing about their health insurance.

Fakolujo was on a brief visit to Nigeria; he walked into my hospital last year and asked me to assist him with these documents. I was paid N1,500 for my efforts.”

Ojo was however, silent on his qualifications as a medical doctor.

Ogunsakin said, “After we received the petition, we began investigation. We visited Ojo at his hospital and discovered him to be a fraud. He was the sole employee at the hospital that consisted of four dirty beds for admitting patients, a small, dirty room used as an operating theatre, some case files belonging to patients, two stethoscopes and some other funny hospital equipment.

“Despite being an unqualified doctor, Ojo had been in practice for the past five years. He would be charged to court soonest at the conclusion of our investigation.”

PUNCH