A Nigerian doctor, Richard Akinrolabu, has been jailed for three years in the United Kingdom after admitting to defrauding the National Health Service (NHS) of more than £268,000 through false representation.
A statement published on its website by the UK NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) on Monday said Akinrolabu, 61, was employed as a trust grade specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Princess Royal University Hospital.
“A former NHS resident doctor has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to defrauding the NHS out of more than £268,000, following an NHS Counter Fraud Authority investigation. Between October 2018 and December 2021, he worked on-call and night shifts at three additional trusts, despite informing his employer that he was unfit to do the same work for them.
“He worked these shifts whilst on sick leave or on reduced duties from King’s College Hospital. As well as paying Dr Akinrolabu his full salary, the trust had to employ locums to cover these shifts,” the agency said.
Suspicion was raised in November 2021 when King’s College Hospital (KCH) received information that the doctor had been working night shifts at Basildon Hospital. A local counter-fraud investigation discovered he had taken several on-call duties elsewhere, despite his medical claims.
The NHSCFA said it launched its own independent investigation, gathered evidence, and invited Akinrolabu for an interview in 2022, but he declined to comment.
He was later charged with four counts of fraud by false representation and arraigned at Woolwich Crown Court.
“KCH provided evidence which confirmed that he had neither sought nor received permission to carry out secondary employment. Timesheet and payroll information obtained from the other three trusts showed that the majority of shifts that he had worked were at night and on-call, despite claiming to be unfit to do either.
“In June 2022, the local counter fraud team interviewed Akinrolabu under caution, during which he gave a ‘no comment’ response. Following further investigation by the NHSCFA, he was subsequently charged with four counts of Fraud by False Representation,” the agency said.
He was sentenced on November 4, 2025, after earlier pleading guilty on September 3.
Quoting the judge, the agency added: “In sentencing, His Honour Judge David Miller said: ‘You lied to occupational health, your colleagues and your employer. The public doesn’t expect doctors to lie for personal gain.’”
NHSCFA Head of Operations, Ben Harrison, said the case revealed “a clear and deliberate abuse of trust by an NHS professional who knowingly breached the conditions of his employment for personal gain.”
“By working additional on-call and night shifts, despite being unfit to do so, Akinrolabu defrauded the NHS of substantial funds that should have supported patient care. The NHS Counter Fraud Authority will continue to ensure that those who seek to exploit the health service for their own benefit are identified and brought to justice,” he added.
Credit: newspeakonline.com
