A nursing assistant at Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH) has allegedly been working for eight years using a fraudulent practising licence, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard on Wednesday.
‘Mantsane Likotsi told the committee that she was given the licence in 2018 by a well-known politician and not obtained it through the Lesotho Nursing Council (LNC) as legally required.
The committee heard that although Likotsi had studied for Nursing Assistant at the National Health Training College (NHTC), she had never sat the Nursing Council’s licensing examination.
The licence certificate, dated February 28, 2018, was seized by the committee and handed over to the Lesotho Nursing Council.The committee also instructed QMMH to terminate Likotsi’semployment.
LNC Registrar, Flavia Moetsana told the committee that the body became aware of the matter in February this year after being informed that Likotsi had been employed using a fraudulent licence.
Moetsana said the Council checked its records and found that Likotsi was not registered. The matter was subsequently reported to the police for further investigation.
However, Moetsana acknowledged that the Council had not taken internal disciplinary action against Likotsi or summoned her to explain how she came to possess the licence.
She said the matter was considered a criminal case and was therefore left with the police, adding that the Council would await the outcome of the court process.
The committee was not satisfied with the Council’s handling of the matter, arguing that a criminal investigation should not prevent the regulatory body from taking professional or disciplinary action.
PAC chairperson, ‘Machabana Lemphane-Letsie questioned why the LCN had allowed Likotsi to continue working after establishing that she had never sat for the licensing examination.
“As the Nursing Council, you established that a nursing practitioner has been hired using a fraudulent licence and has not sat for the examination to acquire such a licence. What did you do? The criminal aspect or fraud is for the police, but disciplinary and professional misconduct cannot rely on the court because we know cases might take even over 10 years. Would this mean you would still allow her to earn a salary while being entrusted with the health of the people?” Lemphane-Letsieasked.
QMMH Human Resources Manager, ‘Makatleho Lefielo said she was not aware that Likotsi’s licence was fraudulent.
“Now that it has come to our attention, we will take action. She no longer qualifies to be a nurse,” Lefielo said.
Moetsana, however, noted she believed Likotsi should continue working while the police investigation continues.
“My little understanding of the law is that as the investigations are ongoing and one is still a suspect, such a person will continue working until the court decides otherwise,” Moetsanaindicated.
The committee questioned whether the Council was failing to take action against suspected professional misconduct while waiting for the criminal investigation to be concluded.
Members also raised concerns that Likotsi’s case might not be an isolated incident and questioned whether there could be a wider syndicate involving the fraudulent issuing of nursing licences.
Moetsana later told the committee that the LCN investigations had established that Likotsi was assisted by one of their nursing officers, who has since died.
“Our investigations revealed that at the time when MmeMantsane was registering with the Nursing Council, she was assisted by a person who is now late,” Moetsana explained.
Likotsi, however, told the committee that the licence had been given to her by a politician. She did not give the name of the politician.
Likotsi said she had been afraid to report the matter because the politician had threatened to kill her.
“As per the explanation I got at that time, my understanding was that I did the right thing. This politician, whom I am afraid to name in public, was threatening to kill me and my life was and danger,” she submitted.
“It was given to me. I refused to take it, but that politician kept threatening to kill me. I have always wanted to expose this issue. I also wanted to report it to the Nursing Council, but I did not know the proper procedures to follow, especially because this person threatened to kill me several times,” Likotsi added, asking for permission to provide the rest of her evidence in camera, saying she feared for her life.
Another committee member, Montoeli Masoetsa, accused the LNC of failing to fulfill its mandate by not revoking the licenceafter the matter came to its attention.
“There is a bad habit of government officials dragging their feet when they have to take action and rectify mistakes. These are just delay tactics played by this organisation because the wasted money is government money and not theirs. Officials at Tŝepongact as they please,” Masoetsa claimed.
The PAC was also shocked to hear that Likotsi had been earning M8, 800 since 2018 while allegedly working with fraudulent licence.
Lemphane-Letsie said the committee had a responsibility to ensure that public funds were used properly.
“We are overseeing public funds. We cannot pay people who do not have legal or qualifying credentials allowing them to do such a job,” she pointed out.
