UK court jails Lucius Njoku for 16 weeks after pretending to be a female nurse
A UK court has sentenced a Nigerian immigrant, 33-year-old Njoku, to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after he admitted to impersonating a female nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire.
Between February and April 2024, Njoku worked as a healthcare assistant under the name of his female friend, Joyce George, who was a nurse at the hospital. Prosecutors told the court that George “permitted Njoku to do her shifts under her name.”
During the period, Njoku tended to seriously ill patients in the accident and emergency (A&E) unit, helping with washing, dressing, and carrying out observations. “Fortunately, no harm was done, and there were no complaints about Njoku’s work. But it is the access which is the serious concern,” said prosecutor Lisa McGuire.
George, also a Nigerian national living in Ellesmere Port, allegedly fled to Nigeria after being charged with fraud. An arrest warrant has been issued for her.
Njoku’s lawyer, Steven Alis, told the court that he had no prior convictions and was struggling financially. He added that “safeguarding checks had not come through” and that it was “surprising” hospital management failed to detect the deception.
Njoku’s ruse unravelled when a patient confronted him about his identity. “My name is Joyce but I am a man,” he reportedly told the patient.
In addition to his suspended sentence, Njoku must complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £239 in costs and surcharge. It remains unclear whether he will face deportation.
