Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - A Nigerian doctor, Richard Akinrolabu, was jailed for three years in the United Kingdom after admitting to defrauding the National Health Service (NHS) of more than £268,000.
Akinrolabu, 61, of Orpington, Kent, received his sentence at
Woolwich Crown Court on 4 November 2025, having previously pleaded guilty to
all four counts of Fraud by False Representation at the same court on 3
September 2025.
The National Health Service Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA)
in a statement said Akinrolabu, who qualified in Nigeria in 2003, had been
employed as a trust grade specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology by
the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) in London, which forms part of
King’s College Hospitals (KCH) NHS Foundation Trust. A trust grade specialist
registrar is a type of resident doctor, formerly known as junior doctor.
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.
In November 2021, KCH received information stating that
Akinrolabu had been working night shifts at Basildon Hospital. Investigations
by the trust’s local counter fraud team found that he had worked a number of
on-call shifts there.
The trust and NHSCFA investigators then obtained witness
evidence which revealed that Akinrolabu had worked at Princess Alexandra
Hospital, East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust and Mid-South Essex
NHS Foundation Trust whilst on reduced duties from KCH.
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.
In sentencing, His Honour Judge David Miller said: “You lied
to occupational health, your colleagues and your employer."
Ben Harrison, Head of Operations at the NHS Counter Fraud
Authority, said: “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.
“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.
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