A British court has sentenced a Nigerian man, Lucius Njoku, to a suspended prison term for impersonating a female nurse to work at a National Health Service (NHS) hospital.
Njoku, 33, reportedly assumed the identity of his friend, Joyce George, to secure shifts as a healthcare assistant at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire. For nearly two months, he worked under George’s name, wearing her NHS badge and uniform, despite the photo on the ID clearly showing a woman.
The deception came to light when a patient questioned Njoku about his identity. Following the incident, hospital officials reviewed CCTV footage, which confirmed that he had been working multiple shifts under false pretenses.
Investigations revealed that George, also a Nigerian national, had legitimately secured her position through an external recruitment agency. However, between February and April 2024, she allegedly allowed Njoku to take over her shifts. Authorities are still probing how he obtained the NHS uniform used during the impersonation.
Police later raided George’s home, where Njoku was found. Prosecutors told Chester Magistrates’ Court that phone records between the pair contained messages coordinating work schedules.
Njoku, who lives separately from his NHS-employed wife, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. The court sentenced him to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid community service and pay £239 in court costs and surcharges.
