A TikTokker who pretended to be a doctor to gain followers on social media was caught red-handed at a hospital in Johannesburg on Sunday night. Matthew Lani, who had posted videos of himself wearing a white coat and a stethoscope, was stopped by security guards at Helen Joseph Hospital as he tried to enter the facility.
Lani had claimed to be a medical graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand and an employee of the Gauteng health department. He also said he was registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and had a high school diploma from Cambridge International College. However, all these institutions have denied any association with him.
Dr Matthew Lani has been arrested👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/QJCQNJdx5w
— nsimbi edlezinye✨ (@Khanyih_Ngubane) October 29, 2023
According to Gauteng health department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba, Lani was wearing a hoodie and a surgical mask when he was caught. He had previously visited the same hospital to create misleading content for his TikTok account. “Lani was caught just before 20:00, disguised in a hoodie and wearing a surgical mask with a stethoscope around his neck. He had previously entered the same facility to curate misleading content under the pretence that he was a qualified doctor,” Modiba said.
Ziyakhaaaaaaaaaaaala
He Confessed he’s not a DR 🤡🤡🤡
Dr Matthew 🤡 pic.twitter.com/VoM9VB4rNW— Purple Gully (@Mizzpurple01) October 29, 2023
Lani tried to escape by asking to use the bathroom and then jumping out of the window. However, he was quickly recaptured by the security guards, who called the police. Lani was then handed over to the police for an official arrest. He has maintained his innocence and said he was only doing it for fun