A Nigerian doctor in the UK has been sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding the NHS of £268,000 by secretly working shifts while on sick leave.
A UK-based Nigerian doctor, Richard Akinrolabu, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court for defrauding the National Health Service (NHS) of over £268,000, according to a report from VANGUARD.
Akinrolabu, employed as a trust grade specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH), part of King’s College Hospitals (KCH) NHS Foundation Trust, had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of Fraud by False Representation on 3 September 2025.
Between October 2018 and December 2021, he carried out on-call and night shifts at three additional NHS trusts while on sick leave or reduced duties from KCH. This included shifts at Basildon Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, and Mid-South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, without permission. KCH continued to pay his full salary and employed locums to cover the shifts he secretly worked elsewhere.
During a June 2022 interview under caution, Akinrolabu declined to comment. Investigations by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) confirmed he had misrepresented his fitness for work, leading to charges.
In sentencing, His Honour Judge David Miller stated: “You lied to occupational health, your colleagues and your employer. The public doesn’t expect doctors to lie for personal gain.” Ben Harrison, NHSCFA Head of Operations, added, “This case demonstrates a clear and deliberate abuse of trust by an NHS professional who knowingly breached the conditions of his employment for personal gain.”