Tenancy fraudster sentenced to two years in prison

Cllr Chris Kirby

by our RBG Correspondent | Woolwich

A computer programmer has received a two year jail sentence for having failed to declare that he owned his own house whilst applying for council accommodation from the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

In May 2004, Mr Kolawole Yusuf, aged 50, of Thelma Gardens, Kidbrooke SE3, completed a housing application seeking accommodation for himself, his wife and two children, and declared that he did not own his own property. In December 2004, Mr Yusuf was granted the tenancy of a 2-bed house in Watergate Street, Deptford SE8.

In May 2014, and now with 4 children, Mr Yusuf was granted the tenancy of a 3-bed house in Thelma Gardens SE3. Once again, he declared that he did not have any other accommodation to live in.

In June 2014 workmen from the Royal Borough of Greenwich visited the Thelma Gardens property in an attempt to undertake essential work at the premises, however, the occupant stated that he would need to speak with his landlord to get permission for them to enter the property.

From the conversation it became apparent that the council accommodation was being sublet and the information was referred to the council’s Unauthorised Occupation team for further investigation.

Enquiries identified that in October 2001 Mr Yusuf purchased a 3-bed house in Romford, Essex, for £75,000, and that from October 2001 to June 2005 Mr Yusuf had been registered for Council Tax at the Romford address. It was also identified that from June 2005 to July 2014 Mr Yusuf had rented out the Romford property for use as emergency housing with the London Borough of Havering and was receiving a good rental income.

In September 2014 Mr Yusuf was interviewed under caution by officers of the Royal Borough’s Internal Audit & Anti-Fraud team. He admitted that he owned the Romford property and stated that he had not declared it to the Royal Borough as he had been hoping to sell it to buy a property in London. Following the interview he returned the Thelma Gardens property to the council.

He was summonsed to appear at Bexley Magistrates Court in February 2015 for four offences relating to the fraudulent housing applications he submitted: two under the Fraud Act, and two under the Theft Act. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. The matter was passed to Woolwich Crown Court for trial. 

On 12 October Mr Yusuf attended Woolwich Crown Court and pleaded guilty to all charges.

Upon sentencing Mr Yusuf to 26 months imprisonment, Her Honour Judge Downing stated that she had already given him a 25% sentencing discount for his early guilty plea.

The Royal Borough is now seeking the financial recovery of over £132,000 from Mr Yusuf as a result of the costs incurred for providing emergency accommodation to those in genuine need during the period that he deprived the Royal Borough of the use of both the Watergate Street and Thelma Gardens properties.

Councillor Chris Kirby (pictured), Royal Borough of Cabinet member for Housing said: “To receive over 2 years in jail for falsely obtaining council accommodation goes to show that this type of offence is serious and that the Royal Borough has no hesitation in prosecuting those that deprive so many genuine housing applicants of much needed accommodation."

"I hope that Mr Yusuf will reflect on his actions and that anyone reading this who is thinking of defrauding the council in any way will think again. I am pleased to hear that despite Mr Yusuf being in prison, the Royal Borough will now be pursuing him for its financial losses.”

If you suspect someone of committing fraud against the royal borough please call 0800 169 6975 or email fraud@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

Any information you give will be treated in confidence.