In a case that has been dragging on for years, a KwaZulu-Natal man accused of using a fraudulent MBChB degree to register as a doctor appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court last week – where the matter was postponed to 19 November, reports IOL.
Reshal Dayanand (39) faces charges of fraud, forgery and contravening the Health Professions Act and Electronic Communications and Transactions Act.
According to the Hawks, Dayanand studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal between 2007 and 2015, but had been “academically excluded in 2013 for poor performance … and was re-admitted in 2015 through the Dean’s discretion”.
However, he didn’t complete his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree because he failed one of the modules, the Hawks added.
“Despite this, Dayanand allegedly managed to fraudulently register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) to be enrolled as a doctor, and was placed as an intern at Northdale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, in 2016, earning a total of R637 087.75.”
To cover his tracks, Dayanand allegedly connived with an unknown UKZN official and generated a fraudulent academic record indicating that he had passed all of the required modules. While he did not attend a graduation ceremony, a fraudulent MBChB degree certificate was nevertheless generated, certifying him as a qualified doctor, added the police.
The matter was subsequently reported to the Hawks in Durban, prompting the investigation, and confirming his conduct was unlawful and fraudulent.
Dayanand was released on warning after his court appearance.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
‘Intern’ who posed as doctor wants court to let him finish degree
Hawks accused of delays in bogus KZN doctor probe
Medical intern with forged degree loses case to finish studies