A man pretending to be a doctor will spend the next week behind bars after he was arrested by the Hawks on Monday.

Lawrence Tebogo Matheatau‚ the bogus doctor‚ appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday‚ the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said in a statement on Tuesday

Matheatau went into a partnership with a doctor in Jourberton Township‚ just outside Klerksdorp in North West province‚ who he managed to convince that he was a colleague.

He began “practising” on December 9 last year. But‚ according to the Hawks‚ “the surgery owner became suspicious when Matheatau started asking questions for which a qualified doctor should provide answers even in his sleep”.

“The Hawks were then contacted and an investigation was launched. With the Health Council confirming that Matheatau was not registered with them as a practising medical practitioner‚ and his practice number deemed to be fake‚ the Hawks paid him a visit and found that it was business as usual.”

Matheatau will appear in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court next Wednesday.