Mullingar doctor to take trial date for 47 charges of theft and multiple counts of money-laundering

A Mullingar doctor has indicated he wished to go to trial for a total of 47 charges of theft and multiple counts of money-laundering before Longford Circuit Court.

Doctor Waqas Farooqi (46) of Belvedere Hills, Mullingar, County Westmeath, appeared before Judge Jonathan Dunphy this morning where the court was informed he would require a jury for a trial which is expected to last four weeks.

His co-accused, Doctor Muhammad Azam (59), of The Rocks, Stonepark, County Longford, and secretary Gillian McCord (56) of Knockanboy, County Longford, also appeared before the court but indicated through counsel that they were “not in a position to nail their colours to the mast” just yet.

The three accused face a combined total of 135 charges, including 20 counts of theft and 22 counts of using false general medical services claims or out-of-hours payment forms.

Those false claims related to 12 different patients at the Primary Care Reimbursement Services, Exit 50, North Road, Finglas, Dublin 11.

Dr Azam faces a total of 48 charges; Dr Farooqi faces 47 charges, and Ms McCord faces 42 charges.

It is alleged the trio used false medical documentation to indicate that patients had received medical services. Dr Azam and Dr Farooqi were also charged with multiple counts of money laundering at locations within the state between October 2017 and December 2019.

Dr Farooqi will reappear on the trial list on May 19, and the cases of Dr Azam and Ms McCord are due up before the court again on February 24.