A woman has been jailed for eights weeks after using a false
name to claim £12,905.49 of housing benefit and £2,590.28 council
tax benefit.
Mrs Olunfunke Adebimpe Adelowo, known as Mrs Olunfunke Banigo,
claimed the housing and council tax benefit between 19 May 2003 and
25 May 2006 while living at 16 Meister Close, Ilford.
Adelowo, aka, Banigo, submitted claim forms to Redbridge Council
claiming she was a single mother, in receipt of state benefits and
did not have any capital exceeding £16,000.
Banigo also told the Council that her last address was 111 Arica
Road, Brockley, London but at no time did Banigo declare ownership
of any property.
Banigo charged with two offences
The case was investigated as a result of information obtained
during the course of an unrelated enquiry and found that the
property was in fact owned by Olunfunke Adebimpe Odukoya (maiden
name).
Olunfunke Adebimpe Adelowo and Mrs Olunfunke Banigo are in fact
the same person and the mortgage application shows they have the
same date of birth, national insurance number and address.
After being interviewed on 20 March 2007 by the Housing Benefit
Investigation Team, Banigo was charged with two offences of
dishonestly making a false representation under the Social Security
Administration Act 1992.
she pleaded guilty to both offences
She appeared at Redbridge Magistrates Court on 14 August 2008
where she pleaded guilty to both offences. She cited financial
hardship at the time and a temporary separation from her
husband.
She received an eight week custodial sentence for both offences
to run concurrently.
"we will prosecute those abusing the system"
Cllr Thomas Chan, Cabinet Member for Resources and
Communication, said: "There are no excuses to illegally claim
housing and council tax benefit, whatever the circumstances, it is
just not fair on those law-abiding residents who pay their council
tax. We have said before and will continue to send out the message
that this will not be tolerated and we will prosecute those who are
found to be abusing the system."
The Council will be looking to recover the full amount of the
overpaid benefit as it does in all such cases.