A TikTok star was accused of falsely impersonating a doctor and arrested while trying to enter a hospital in South Africa, reports the BBC. As it turns out, Matthew Lani’s case is not an isolated one – 124 such arrests have been made in South Africa over the last three years.
Matthew Lani has gained popularity on social media for his medical advice and selling drugs online. On Sunday evening, he tried to bypass hospital security by wearing a surgical mask and a stethoscope. The man tried to escape from the police by jumping out of the bathroom window.
The Gauteng Provincial Department of Health issued a statement saying Lani frequently used the Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg, where he was caught “publishing false content under the guise of acting as a qualified doctor.”
MatthewLaniMatthew Lani/TIKTOK
Before his account was closed, he had nearly 300,000 followers on TikTok. When he opened a new account, 50,000 users immediately started following him.
A raid on a tiktoker ended with an arrest
Lani’s arrest took place after a manhunt that lasted several weeks. The man claims to have obtained a medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg – however, the institution does not confirm this information. The Department of Education says Lani did not even obtain a high school leaving certificate.
Lani allegedly tried to mislead authorities by posing as Dr. Sanele Zingelwa, a medical intern at a hospital in Tembisa province. Dr. Zingelwe therefore initiated a criminal case against Lani.
The case of the popular tiktoker is not an isolated one – the BBC reports, citing health departmentthat 124 such arrests have been made in South Africa in the last three years.
Main photo source: Matthew Lani/TIKTOK