Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1558 EAT on Saturday 2 August 2025

A 27-year-old impostor doctor has been sentenced to two years in prison by a Hoima court after performing unauthorized surgeries that resulted in the deaths of three patients. The court also ordered him to refund Shs 21.6 million to the government, the amount he fraudulently earned while posing as a qualified medical professional.

The convict, whose name has not been disclosed by authorities at this time, carried out the fatal procedures at a local health facility despite lacking any formal medical qualifications. His arrest followed an investigation triggered by complaints from bereaved families and whistleblowers within the medical community.

The court found that the fake doctor had been working under forged credentials and had deceived both patients and colleagues into believing he was licensed to practice. Prosecutors argued that his negligence and lack of training directly contributed to the deaths, and that his actions not only caused irreparable harm to the victims’ families but also put the integrity of the healthcare system at risk.

In handing down the sentence, the magistrate emphasized the seriousness of the offense, noting that medical malpractice—especially by unlicensed individuals—poses a grave threat to public safety.

The Ministry of Health has since reiterated its commitment to stricter verification of medical personnel and urged the public to report suspected cases of impersonation or malpractice.

Francis Taulula, a resident of Pallisa Town Council in eastern Uganda, admitted to 15 criminal charges—including forgery, uttering false documents, and obtaining medical registration by false pretence. He entered a plea bargain with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), resulting in a reduced sentence handed down by Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi at Buganda Road Court.

According to court documents, Taulula falsified academic credentials, which he used to fraudulently obtain provisional registration from the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC), enabling him to pose as a licensed doctor.

This allowed him to secure an internship at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital in 2022, where he carried out surgical procedures without supervision. Taulula was convicted of forging a transcript bearing registration number 15/U/O43/MED, purportedly from Mount Kenya University.

Prosecutors told the court that during his internship, Taulula conducted multiple operations in departments such as paediatrics, obstetrics, and gynaecology. His complete lack of medical training is believed to have directly contributed to the deaths of three patients: Harriet Atugonza, Scovia Atuhura, and Gladys Pifua.

The court heard that one patient died from excessive bleeding, another from a post-operative infection, and the third from surgical complications—all preventable with proper care. The magistrate condemned the case as a serious breach of public trust and a blatant violation of medical ethics.

“He operated on patients without qualifications or supervision, with tragic outcomes. The sentence must reflect the gravity of his deception,” said Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi during the ruling.

Taulula was sentenced to two years and fifteen days for each of the first seven counts of forgery, and one year and six months for each count of uttering false documents. For the charge of obtaining registration by false pretence, he received an additional sentence of one year and fifteen days.

All sentences are to run concurrently. The court also ordered Taulula to refund Shs 21.6 million—the amount he received as a monthly allowance during his fraudulent internship—within two years after completing his sentence.

The court was also informed that Taulula submitted forged degree certificates allegedly from Mount Kenya University and falsely claimed to be enrolled at Gulu University. He further used a counterfeit Gulu University student ID and a fabricated recommendation letter to obtain a volunteer position at Kumi Health Centre IV.

The fraud was uncovered in May 2023 when Taulula applied for full medical registration, raising suspicions about discrepancies in his documentation. Investigations confirmed that he had never attended Mount Kenya University.

In his defense, Taulula’s lawyer highlighted his young age, genuine remorse, clean criminal record, and his responsibilities as the primary caregiver for his elderly father and young child. It was also revealed that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, which has impacted his mobility.

Nonetheless, the magistrate emphasized the seriousness of the case and the significant risk Taulula posed to public health.

Taulula’s troubles began in May 2023 at the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC), where he knowingly and fraudulently submitted a forged degree certificate to Dr. Ivan Kisuule, the registrar of the council. He subsequently presented a forged transcript to Dr. Kisuule as well.

Court records show that after submitting these forged documents, Taulula was granted provisional registration by the registrar and posted to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital for a one-year internship.

Upon completing his internship in March 2024, Taulula applied for full registration before the then UMDPC registrar, Katumba Ssentongo, again presenting forged documents from Mount Kenya University. Katumba prepared his paperwork and submitted it to the council chairman, Associate Professor Joel Okullo.

Suspecting forgery, Okullo contacted Mount Kenya University for verification, which confirmed that the academic credentials Taulula had presented were indeed forged.

Evidence indicates that arrangements were being made to hand Taulula over to the police, but he reportedly absconded. Following this, the chairperson alerted the State House Health Monitoring Unit, which opened a general inquiries file against him on October 4, 2024.

Taulula was eventually arrested at Kumi Health Centre IV and brought to Kampala to face justice.

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