Monrovia — Dee Daniel Wright, a fake Physician Assistant was found guilty by the West Point Magisterial court of forgery.
On Wednesday, July 6, 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to all charges levied against him by the prosecuting lawyer. He admitted of being impersonating under a false pretense as a Physician Assistant in an open court.
At the call of the case, the private prosecutor requested the court clerk to read the charge to the defendant so as to ascertain his pleading that was granted, and the defendant was afforded the right to plead to the charge whether guilty.
In a short deliberation, defendant Dee Daniel Wright pleaded guilty to the crime but prayed for forgiveness.
Wright, who pleaded guilty in court, said he has no credential to practice as a physician assistant, but his involvement in the practice was the only means of survivability for him and his family.
The prosecution requested a continuance so as to call the Ministry of Justice to do a background check on the defendant to ascertain whether he is a habitual criminal.
At the hearing, the prosecution prayed for a continuance in line with chapter 1.6 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia on grounds that the pending sentence hearing should be within five working days wherein the probationer officer of the Ministry of Justice will conduct a background check and report to the court with their findings to establish as of wither the defendant is a habitual criminal and the prosecution says that the continuance is based on the background investigation submit.
After the verdict was brought down by the court, Theophilus Tamba Fayiah, the president of the Liberia National Physician Assistants Association (LINPAA) says the verdict against Daniel Wright is a victory for LINPAA and all Physicians Assistants in the country.
He commended the court for the court judgment, adding that it will serve as a warning to impersonators.
"This is the first time for an impersonator to be sent to court and found culpable by the court. It is unfair for people who have no qualification of the profession to dubiously practice without remorse," he said.
President Fayiah is calling on health facilities and employers of Physician Assistants to do a background check at the association office on the GSA road to avoid employing unqualified and faked Physician Assistants; stating such persons or institutions caught will be penalized.
He added that employing unqualified and fake PAs is dangerous to the safety of the patients and the country at large.
However, LINPAA president called on the Liberia Medicines & Dental Council (LMDC) which is responsible to regulate medical practice in Liberia to ensure the safety of the people by doing the utmost in getting out unauthorized medical practitioners from the country.
Mr. Wright was first arrested on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, after the manager of a local clinic 'Sky of the Sea' in the Township of West Point tipped off the leadership of the Liberia National Physician Assistants Association (LINPAA) of the dubious act.
On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, he was summered for the second time at the West Point Magisterial court following an arrest by the Liberia National Police through a complaint filed by the leadership of the Liberia National Physician Assistants Association (LINPAA).
Meanwhile, the term of the sentence will be discussed on tomorrow at the West Point Magisterial court.
Forged documents:
Dee Daniel Wright forged the license of the Liberia National Physician Assistant as a qualified PA
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He claimed that he graduated from the Tubman National Institute of Medical Art (TNIMA) on January 5, 2012, as Physician Assistant, but our facts finding revealed that at no time did he enroll at that institute, neither graduate, therefore all documents bearing his name from that institution were forged.
He also presented a forged document as a graduate from the School of Operation Room Technology on July 3, 2021, as Operation Room Technician (ORT) and a Nurse Aid Certificate from the Soko Sackor Institute 2008.
A forged LINPAA license number 67312 with an issued date of January 1, 2022, and expired December 31, 2022, was issued by a sidewall commercial computer typist on Benson Street, Monrovia.
Again, with the help of the LNP, we were able to arrest the guy in question along with his computers and other accessories and turned him over to the police for investigation.
