Viral fake Dr Matthew Lani has walked free following his arrest on 29 October 2023 on allegations of impersonation and fraud.
Dr Matthew Lani pretended to be a medical doctor and shared videos giving advice on TikTok. He was also selling medication, which he said reduces weight.
The public outed the bogus doctor earlier this month that he is not a real medical practitioner. The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) confirmed that he is not a registered doctor. The University of the Witswatersrand said Dr Matthew Lani never attended their institution, while the Gauteng Department of Health denied employing him.
Dr Lani was insistent that he was a doctor, and on Sunday, he sneaked into Helen Joseph Hospital to prove himself on TikTok. Alert security guards pounced on him and delivered him to the South African Police Service. He then appeared today at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
The dramatic “doctor” was walking on two crutches accompanied by his lawyer.
Watch: As Dr Matthew walk out of court #DrMatthew @City_Press pic.twitter.com/1TrepK8IQg
— Rosetta Msimango (@MsimangoRosetta) October 31, 2023
The bogus doctor is now free after the Magistrate’s court released him.
Social media users expressed mixed emotions as Dr Matthew Lani walked free.
Haut:
“But you guys were making fun of his lawyer yesterday 😂😂😂😂”
Sdunkero:
“There was no case, to begin with, people are just emotional. There are no laws broken here. On social media, I can be anything I want to be. There are no laws governing that. It’s entertainment.”
Urban:
“Be ready for more content from Dr Matthew Lani.”
Raymond:
“They realised they were dealing with a mental case here and opted not to waste state resources.”
Loveliness:
“South Africa is a joke.”
Source iHarare
