Legal Futures reports
A barrister and part-time immigration tribunal judge has become the last of a group of lawyers found guilty of defrauding the Legal Aid Agency by falsely claiming defence legal costs.
Rasib Ghaffar, 54, conspired to inflate legal fees and work claimed for in 2011 and 2012 together with solicitor-advocate Azhar Khan, 52, solicitor Joseph Kyeremeh, 73, and legal clerk Gazi Khan, 55.
All were convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.
Mr Ghaffar, who had pleaded not guilty, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on 26 March. It can now be reported that Gazi Khan was jailed for five years last March, having been involved in three legal aid frauds which would have netted £12m if successful.
Mr Kyeremeh was handed a two-year sentence, suspended for two years for medical reasons, back in December 2021, while Azhar Khan received the same sentence last year.
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