A former employee at Southwark Council has been found guilty of defrauding the council.
Chinyere Anokuru was dismissed from her job as housing officer in 2012 for gross misconduct. Ms Anokuru had granted tenancy for a property to her sister, Ndidi Anokuru, but the council later discovered she was not residing at the house and was actually based outside the UK.
Cllr Fiona Colley, cabinet member for finance, strategy and performance, said: ‘It’s absolutely disgraceful that a member of staff would flout their position of trust and illegally defraud the council for their own selfish gains. I take a dim view of anyone who threatens to tarnish the hard work and honesty of the rest of council's employees.
‘Thankfully, Ms Anokuru and her accomplice have been brought to justice with a guilty verdict and will be penalised appropriately. This goes to show that Southwark Council will always pursue fraudsters to the maximum extent of the law.’
Ms Anokuru and her co-defender Philomena Ishiguzo have been found guilty of offences under the Fraud Act 2006 and will be sentenced 6 October.