Accused surgical imposters granted bail

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Foreign Affairs Ambassador Dr. Patrick R.W. Matthews and his colleague, Arnold Joseph, were granted bail in the sum of $10,000 each with a $5,000 cash component when they appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emmanuel-Edwards yesterday in the All Saints Magistrate Court (now temporarily housed on the Transport Board’s premises at Herberts).

Matthews – a member of the National Stroke Association (NSA) and a chiropractor by profession – along with Joseph, an operating theatre practitioner, were ordered to surrender their travel documents.

In this regard, Matthews had to surrender both his personal and diplomatic passports and report to the Coolidge police station every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday between the hours of 6am and 6pm.

They were also warned not to interfere or communicate with any witness or potential witnesses in the case, and they must continue to dwell at their established and known places of residence until the determination of these matters. If a change of address becomes necessary or is desired by either defendant, they will have to give the court 48 hours’ notice. They will also need the court’s permission to travel.

The two healthcare providers are accused of engaging in the practice medicine as general practitioners and performing a surgical procedure (circumcision) that they were neither registered nor licensed to do.

Matthews of Gunthorpes and Joseph of Cassada Gardens allegedly performed the circumcision on a then two-year old boy in contravention of Section 12 (a) of the Medical Practitioners Act No. 3 of 2009 of the Laws of Antigua and Barbuda.

The now six-year old reportedly suffered a number of complications as a result of the allegedly botched surgery.

The incident is said to have occurred on 8 April 2015 at Gunthropes

Both men have been ordered back in court on July 2nd 2019. If convicted, they could each be fined up to $25,000 or imprisoned for up to three years. 

When contacted by OBSERVER media, the distraught father of the victim expressed relief that after four long years,  justice is finally being served.

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