HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of State has temporarily suspended the medical license of Dr. Tunde Tolani Tijani, who faces indecent assault and harassment charges in Franklin County.
Dr. Tijani, 61, of Greencastle, is accused of groping and attempting to kiss a woman on December 22, 2015, while in an elevator at the Chambersburg Hospital. The woman, an employee at the hospital, was using a staff elevator to get from the second floor to the first floor. She was returning a bed that she had used to transport a patient to their new room on the second floor.
According to the Criminal Complaint, Dr. Tijani, who has medical staff privileges, but is not employed by the hospital, got on the elevator and hit the button for the third floor. Once the doors shut, Dr. Tijani moved to the rear of the elevator and put his arms around the woman, who pushed him away to let him know that his advances were unwanted. When the elevators doors opened for the second time, the woman was so shocked she could not move past Dr. Tijani. When the elevator doors closed again, this time Dr. Tijani grabbed the woman’s breast. When the elevator doors opened for the third time Dr. Tijani did not exit. The elevator doors closed again and the elevator went to the ground floor where a Pastoral Care worker at the hospital entered. After the Pastoral Care worker exited on the first floor, Dr. Tijani then made one last advancement, grabbing the woman around her waist and her breast. He also attempted to kiss her on the lips, but she turned her face and he kissed her on the cheek. Tijani laughed and asked the woman when she went on lunch break and when she got off work. When the elevator doors opened on the second floor, the woman got off. She reported the incident immediately to her employer. The woman also reported the incident to Chambersburg Police on December 22. Police obtained video footage of the elevator ride which confirmed the woman’s story.
Charges against Dr. Tijani include two counts of Indecent Assault and 2 counts of Harassment.
Those charges led to the filing a request for the temporary suspension of Dr. Tijani’s license to practice medicine by the Pennsylvania by the Bureau of Professional Occupational Affairs. The State Board of Medicine issued an Order of Temporary Suspension on February 22. Dr. Tijani has been a licensed physician since November 6, 1995.
A preliminary hearing that could lead to a permanent license suspension is scheduled for late March.
To read entire Order of Temporary Suspension click here.
