UK court jails Nigerian man for impersonating female nurse

A Chester Magistrates’ Court in the United Kingdom has sentenced a Nigerian national, Lucius Njoku, to 16 weeks in prison for impersonating a female nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire.

According to the prosecution, Njoku, 33, posed as his friend Joyce George, a registered nurse and fellow Nigerian, to work shifts at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit between February and April 2024. George, who lived in Ellesmere Port, allegedly allowed Njoku to use her identity to take her place during shifts arranged through an agency.

During that time, Njoku attended to patients — helping to wash, dress, and monitor them — despite not being cleared to work under his own name.

Prosecutor Lisa McGuire told the court that while there were no complaints about Njoku’s conduct, the case raised serious safety and access concerns.

“Fortunately, no harm was done and there were no complaints about Njoku’s work. But it is the access which is the serious concern,” she said.

Police uncovered the fraud after raiding George’s residence, where they found text messages between her and Njoku discussing work shifts.

George has since been charged with fraud but is believed to have fled to Nigeria.

A warrant has been issued for her arrest.

Njoku, who came to the UK as a student and is a qualified nurse in Nigeria, admitted to fraud by false representation.

His defence lawyer, Steven Alis, said his client acted out of financial desperation while waiting for his own employment checks to be completed.

Alis also pointed out that hospital officials failed to notice the impersonation, even though Njoku wore an NHS badge showing George’s photograph.

The deception was only exposed when a patient questioned the mismatch and Njoku reportedly replied, “My name is Joyce, but I am a man.”

Delivering judgment, District Judge John McGarva sentenced Njoku to 16 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to complete 80 hours of community service. He must also pay £239 in costs and surcharge.

Njoku, who now works at Vauxhall, remains in the UK on his wife’s work visa.

It is yet to be determined whether immigration authorities will initiate deportation proceedings against him.