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Published: Thursday, 15th August 2024 A former council employee, who continued to work for other authorities while claiming sick pay, must pay back more than £8,000 following a Medway Council investigation.Ms Zenab Salami, of South View Road, Grays, appeared before Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court on 26 July 2024, having pleaded guilty to an offence at a previous appearance at Medway Magistrates' Court; namely dishonestly failing to disclose information she was under a legal duty to disclose by working for the London Borough of Brent while claiming sick pay and essential car user allowance through her continued employment with Medway Council.The potential offences came to light when Salami commenced employment with the London Borough of Islington via an agency and was found to also be working for the London Borough ofBrent via an agency. Medway Council wasalerted to the situation and an investigation later revealed that Salami commenced an agency role with Brent on 10 January 2022, having been off sick from her substantive role with Medway since 6 January, where she remained in full time employment until 4 April 2022.Magistrates sentenced Salami to a 6-month community order which includes the requirement to undertake 10 sessions of a rehabilitation activity. Salami, 39, must also repay the salary she fraudulently obtained, as well as all investigation costs, totalling £8,631.60. Salami is also required to pay £250 in legal costs.Cllr Zoe Van Dyke, Portfolio Holder for Business Management, said: “The council’s finances are under tremendous strain and the actions of some individuals who seek to make a gain for themselves at the expense of the public purse only serve to endanger the delivery of vital public services. This deliberate and calculated fraudulent activity is a despicable crime and it isthanks to the due diligence of another local authority, and the dedication of our counter fraud team who investigated this case, that the matter has been brought to an appropriate conclusion with the perpetrator punished for her crimes. The council will always seek to prevent and detect fraud of any form and we would encourage anyone to report their concerns to our counter fraud team.”If you are aware of anyone committing fraud against the council, for example in relation to false discounts or exemptions for their council tax, sub-letting of council owned housing, or false claims for financial assistance of any kind, and wish to report a case; please either phone the Counter Fraud Team between 9am and 5pm on 01634 332233 or submit an online report via the council website.Find out more about reporting fraud. News archive
Published: Thursday, 15th August 2024
A former council employee, who continued to work for other authorities while claiming sick pay, must pay back more than £8,000 following a Medway Council investigation.
Ms Zenab Salami, of South View Road, Grays, appeared before Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on 26 July 2024, having pleaded guilty to an offence at a previous appearance at Medway Magistrates’ Court; namely dishonestly failing to disclose information she was under a legal duty to disclose by working for the London Borough of Brent while claiming sick pay and essential car user allowance through her continued employment with Medway Council.
The potential offences came to light when Salami commenced employment with the London Borough of Islington via an agency and was found to also be working for the London Borough ofBrent via an agency. Medway Council wasalerted to the situation and an investigation later revealed that Salami commenced an agency role with Brent on 10 January 2022, having been off sick from her substantive role with Medway since 6 January, where she remained in full time employment until 4 April 2022.
Magistrates sentenced Salami to a 6-month community order which includes the requirement to undertake 10 sessions of a rehabilitation activity. Salami, 39, must also repay the salary she fraudulently obtained, as well as all investigation costs, totalling £8,631.60. Salami is also required to pay £250 in legal costs.
Cllr Zoe Van Dyke, Portfolio Holder for Business Management, said: “The council’s finances are under tremendous strain and the actions of some individuals who seek to make a gain for themselves at the expense of the public purse only serve to endanger the delivery of vital public services. This deliberate and calculated fraudulent activity is a despicable crime and it isthanks to the due diligence of another local authority, and the dedication of our counter fraud team who investigated this case, that the matter has been brought to an appropriate conclusion with the perpetrator punished for her crimes. The council will always seek to prevent and detect fraud of any form and we would encourage anyone to report their concerns to our counter fraud team.”
If you are aware of anyone committing fraud against the council, for example in relation to false discounts or exemptions for their council tax, sub-letting of council owned housing, or false claims for financial assistance of any kind, and wish to report a case; please either phone the Counter Fraud Team between 9am and 5pm on 01634 332233 or submit an online report via the council website.
xoxo https://www.medway.gov.uk/news/article/1740/former_employee_must_pay_back_more_than_8000_after_council_investigation
