by Linda Straker
- Previously charged by police for pretending to be a police officer
- Now facing charge of pretending to be a medical doctor
- Charged under Health Practitioner’s Act
Akim Andrew, the young man who was months ago charged by police for pretending to be a police officer, is now facing the charge of pretending to be a medical doctor and is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Tuesday, 21 January 2020.
The former General Hospital worker was detained last week and questioned by officers attached to the St Paul’s Police Station. Andrew, who is from Loretto, St John and is also known as “Taxi” was charged with 2 counts of Fraud by False Pretence and 4 counts of “Practicing Medicine without being Registered” by holding himself out to be a medical practitioner without being registered in accordance with the provisions of the Health Practitioners Act.
Information is that he was in a village in the St Paul’s area offering his services in the form of a health fair when someone became suspicious of him. A police report said that he was taken into custody after police received complaints of him offering “medical diagnosis and treatment.”
The teenager who claimed to be a former student of one the universities on the island even charged some persons a fee, wrote prescriptions to some who used his service, requested of them to tell family and friends of his service and gave some tablets which he instructed them to consume.
When police detained him for questioning in the village, he was found with glucose and blood pressure testing equipment and other supplies.
The Health Practitioner’s Act under which he is charged for pretending to be a doctor provides for a maximum penalty of $20,000 as well as to be confined to jail for 2 years, while the criminal code which is used to charge him for false pretence provides for a maximum of 2 years in prison plus a fine.
Section 111 of the Act which is subtitled Offences of False Statements and Forgery states that a person shall not make or produce a false or misleading statement, either orally or in writing, in connection with an application or inquiry; or an investigation into a complaint.
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This young man has a mental health illness and needs help. Making light of this issue is detrimental to safety and security within our country. I hope he receives the proper intervention since he’s displaying identity deficits.
Mental illness comes in all forms.This young man needs help.
33. Requirement to be registered and have a practising certificate
(1) A person shall not practice medicine or dentistry or hold himself or herself out to be a medical practitioner or a dental practitioner in Grenada unless that person is registered in the relevant category of registration in accordance with the provisions of this Act, complies with this Act, and the conditions of registration.
(2) A person shall not practise medicine or dentistry or hold himself or herself out to be a medical practitioner or a dental practitioner in Grenada unless that person holds a valid practising certificate for that purpose issued in accordance with section 44.
(3) A person who contravenes—
(a)
subsection (1) only, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years;
(b)
subsections (1) and (2), at the same time, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years;
(c)
subsection (2) only, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars.
(4) For the purposes of this section a person holds himself or herself out to be a medical practitioner or a dental practitioner by using or taking such title or pretending to be a medical practitioner or a dental practitioner and implying that he or she is qualified to practise medicine or dentistry.
HPA sec. 33
He should have just applied to the council.
You are so right
Sorry for this Youth Man, I think his intentions were good but he went about it in the wrong way. I am great full that he was caught before someone got seriously hurt and that he can be given the necessary help to get him on the straight and narrow. Catherine Roberts Pascal, your commends leave much to be desired of you.
What need to be desired is for you to accept reaity.
The lady stating current facts.
Guy was police month go…
Police or acting poice to buys to understand fundermental.
Guy upgrade to Doctor.
Police again
Guy will.soon act as Prime Minister.
He need help anybody that is normal would no do so
Why is this man being charged for pretending to be a Doctor or Police.
The young man thinks that is normal, well I think this is normal in Grenada.
Every one is acting:
Cabinet Secretary
Police Commissioner
MPs from 2018 election
And its accepted
Drivers with no Licenses
WHAT THE HECK! THIS IS GRENADA WHERE EVERYTHING GOES AND FURTHERMORE THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOUTH BEING IDLE!
You are so right
This young man mental state needs to be checked. This doesn’t seem normal.
He is sick and need help hope he did not cause any death
OMG, that same young man came into our home in Marian and saw my mom. He tested her blood sugar and then told us her sugar was 378 which scared the hell out off us. Thank god we didn’t do anything drastic to my mom.
People like that needs to be put behind bars.
And you never asked for a proff of practice.
Why would you allow some stranger into your home and take his word that he is a physician without any proof?