Two doctors and secretary will face trial over multiple Longford theft and deception charges

Two doctors and a secretary have appeared at Longford District Court accused of stealing money under a state-funded public healthcare reimbursement scheme and submitting false medical service claims to the HSE in respect of patients.

The defendants general practitioners Muhammad Azam (59), of The Rocks, Stonepark, Co Longford and Waqas Farooqi (46) Belvedere Hills, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, as well as secretary Gillian McCord (56), of Knockanboy, Co Longford will be sent forward next month for trial at the Circuit Criminal Court.

The accused trio have been charged with a total of 138 counts between them with Mr Azam and Mr Farooqi facing 48 charges each and Ms McCord facing 42 charges.

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The defendants have each been charged with 20 counts of theft on dates between October 2017 and October 2019 from the HSE’s Primary Care Reimbursement Scheme at 19 Dublin Street, Longford.

The defendants are also facing 22 further charges each in respect of the alleged use of false general medical services claims or out-of-hours payment forms for 12 patients on various dates between August 2017 and October 2019 at the Primary Care Reimbursement Services head offices, Exit 50, North Road, Finglas, Dublin 11.

The details of those charges allege that false medical documentation was used by Dr Azam, Dr Farooqi and Ms McCord to specify that a particular patient received a “medical service” which was, "and which [they] knew or believed to be, a false instrument with the intention of inducing another person to accept it as genuine and by reason of so accepting the said instrument to do some act or to make some omission, or to provide some service, to the prejudice of that person or another person to provide some service under the provisions of section 26 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001".

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Dr Azam and Dr Farooqi are also facing several charges relating to money laundering that are connected to numerous Ulster Bank, AIB and PTSB bank accounts between October 2017 and December 2019.

Sergeant Mark Mahon informed Judge Bernadette Owens that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had given a direction for the three defendants to be sent forward to face trial Circuit Criminal Court and it was expected the book of evidence would be ready for their next court appearance.

He stated the DPP had not consented or given the defendants 'the option' of a signed plea.

Sgt Mahon said the State was not objecting to bail once a number of conditions were adhered to and they included a €5,000 cash lodgment being made by both doctors, the surrender of their passports and an agreement they would not apply for duplicate travel documents.

The pair were also directed to sign on weekly every Wednesday at Longford and Mullingar Garda Stations between 9am and 9pm.

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The court heard a cash lodgment for bail was not being sought in respect of Ms McCord and she was also directed to surrender her passport, not to apply for a duplicate travel document and sign on weekly at Longford Garda Station.

Her legal representative senior counsel Patrick Groarke said his client had searched and had not been able to find her passport but he stated if she was given 24 hours she would try to locate it.

The three defendants were remanded on bail and the case was adjourned until July 8.