A Nigerian man, Lucius Njoku, has narrowly avoided spending time in jail after he was caught using a woman’s identification to work shifts in a hospital in the United Kingdom.
Njoku beat safeguarding procedures to work shifts under the name of a compatriot, Joyce George, who was also charged.
The international student, 33, who lived at Oliver Lane, made it easy for his prosecutors as he pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation.
He was arraigned at Chester Magistrates’ Court in Cheshire on 19th September 2025.
The court heard that Njoku took shifts at the Countess of Chester Hospital as a healthcare worker between February 16 and April 25, 2024.
His shifts included spells at the A&E department and other sensitive departments. The accused used the name of Joyce George, who was entitled to work there after being employed through an agency.
Prosecutor Lisa McGuire revealed to the District Judge John McGarva on Friday, October 17, that Miss George had since relocated back to Nigeria, while a warrant had been issued for her arrest.
The phones of the two accused persons reportedly showed how they shared out the shifts among themselves.
The phones have been seized by investigating officers.
The court heard that Lucius Njoku did a good job while on the shifts, and there were no complaints regarding his work. He also had no previous criminal record.
McGuire insisted that, regardless of these, what he did still amounted to an abuse of trust.
Njoku’s lawyer, Steve Alis blamed the hospital for their inability to tell the two workers apart. He also disclosed that his client came to the UK as a student and opted for jobs when he ran into financial difficulties.
Alis further announced that Njoku is now fully qualified to work in the care sector, but works at Vauxhalls and is dependent on his wife.
“He had the relevant qualifications to do the job, but he went about it the wrong way,” he said.
Sentencing of Lucius Njoku
The judge admitted that it was noteworthy that no one was harmed by the deception. However, he asserted that it was serious enough to send Njoku to jail.
“There is an argument for immediate custody to make an example of you, but you have strong mitigation.”
The judge then jailed Njoku for 16 weeks, suspended for 12 months. He also ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and pay a surcharge of £154 and costs of £85.
Also Read: Nigerian student ordered to leave UK for breach of work hours (Video)
