NIGERIAN WOMAN BAGS FIVE YEARS IN JAIL OVER HOUSING FRAUD [DETAILS]

Trudy Ali-Balogun

A corrupt council officer named Trudy Ali-Balogun, who gave tenancies worth £2.4 million to fraudsters claiming to be homeless has been jailed for five years.

The 55-year old took bribes of £2,000 to wave through bogus applications which included fake birth certificates passports and wage slips and spent the money on foreign holidays, Inner London crown court heard.

Ali-Balogun altered records to show applicants were “homeless”, when some owned homes they were renting out and others were in the UK illegally.

According to reports, She approved at least 20 bogus applications for housing between 2003 and 2005, costing Southwark council £2.4 million in housing for homeless people.

Judge Mark Bishop jailed Ali-Balogun, from Stratford, for five years after she was found guilty last month of misconduct in public office. Biayo Awotiwon, 47, and Adeyemi Olalekan Oyedele, 48, were jailed for five months each.

Council Fiona Colley, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for finance, modernisation and performance said “Today’s sentencing concludes a lengthy investigation into fraud and deception at the hands of someone who abused their position of trust for their own selfish gains.

“I’m glad that the penalty reflects the severity of the crimes committed and I hope this send out a clear message about just how seriously we take housing fraud. Southwark’s waiting list is filled with hundreds of people in genuine need of a home. We will continue to cater to these people whilst also bringing those who take advantage of the system to justice.”

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