Thika Level Five Hospital in Kiambu county has cautioned the public against falling prey to a quack pretending to be a doctor at the facility.

The impostor, trading as Dr James Mwangi, has conned at least two people of Sh40,000 this year, said the hospital medical superintendent Robert Muchena.

“The con man has been using forged letterheads and fake stamps. He has even written letters to courts claiming some accused persons were on medical leave. He uses a tout from the Thika bus stage to connect with unsuspecting clients,” Dr Muchena told journalists.

 He said he could not rule out the collusion with rogue staff, adding that stern action would be taken against anyone found culpable. He urged those seeking services at the hospital to report any suspicious characters.

Given fake letter

John Kamau, a victim, says he was tricked to part with Sh10,000 by the fake medic, who wrote a letter to help him claim his dues at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

 “He reached out to me through a  known tout. After paying the cash, I took the letter to NSSF, only to be told it was fake. To me, the stamp and letterhead looked genuine,” Kamau said.

He reported the matter to the area police station and was assigned a policeman to help pursue the case but the suspect is yet to be arrested.

Another victim, a patient seeking treatment and CT scan services, said he was conned by Sh30,000 in January.

Police sources say efforts are still being made to track down the con.