Warrant issued for banned occupational therapist

News

24 Apr 2026

A man who was prosecuted by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) for working as an occupational therapist while banned, has had a warrant issued for his arrest after failing to attend court.

Key points

NSW man Misheck Mukonoweshuro has been found guilty of working as an occupational therapist after his registration was suspended.
Mr Mukonoweshuro failed to appear in court to respond to the charges and a warrant has been issued for his arrest for sentencing.
Anyone with information about Mr Mukonoweshuro’s current whereabouts is encouraged to contact Ahpra’s Criminal Offences and Litigation Unit at [email protected].

Banned occupational therapist Misheck Mukonoweshuro has failed to appear in court twice this year, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest for sentencing.

In 2021, Mr Mukonoweshuro was suspended by the Occupational Therapy Council of NSW after he was charged by NSW Police with using a carriage service to threaten to kill and stalking. He was convicted of the criminal offences in 2023. In July 2025, the Civil and Administrative Tribunal NSW cancelled Mr Mukonoweshuro’s registration and prohibited him from providing health services for five years.

Ahpra became aware that Mr Mukonoweshuro was practising as an occupational therapist during his suspension and, following an investigation, charged him in December 2025 with one count of unlawfully holding himself out as a registered occupational therapist between 12 April 2023 and 6 May 2024. He was also charged with three counts of using a description to indicate he was an occupational therapist on various dates in 2023.

Mr Mukonoweshuro failed to attend the Liverpool Local Court as required in March 2026 to respond to the charges. He was found guilty of all counts, in absentia, with the matter adjourned for sentencing.

On 10 April, Mr Mukonoweshuro failed to appear again, and a warrant was issued for his arrest to be brought before the court for sentencing.

Anyone with information about Mr Mukonoweshuro’s current whereabouts is encouraged to contact Ahpra’s Criminal Offences and Litigation Unit at [email protected].

There are more than 86,000 registered occupational therapists in Australia.

Ahpra and the National Boards regulate 16 health professions. Anyone can check the registration status of a health practitioner by using the online Register of practitioners or calling Ahpra on 1300 419 495.