Umar Kankiya, 40, from Chafford Hundred, Grays, has admitted ripping off his law firm with over 120 fake travel expense claims. The Basildon Crown Court heard how the former Sternberg Reed LLP lawyer pocketed more than £14,000 by faking trips while handling legal aid cases.
Phoney Journeys to Mental Health Hospitals
Kankiya claimed expenses for a series of bogus journeys, including:
- 86 fake trips to Sevenacres mental health unit on the Isle of Wight, costing over £12,000
- 31 false visits to St Ann’s Hospital in London, worth more than £1,500
- 7 sham visits to Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire, totalling £500+
While extra charges involving forged bank statements and ferry bookings were dropped by the CPS, they remain on record.
Trusted Lawyer’s Shocking Fall
Sternberg Reed chairman Ben Thomas revealed the scam was uncovered during a tough internal forensic investigation led by CEO Kelly Rotheram. He stressed that “There has been no financial prejudice to clients of Sternberg Reed nor the Legal Aid Agency.”
“He specialised in representing those detained in psychiatric hospitals across England and Wales. He has been a Law Society committee member and was at the time a respected and trusted colleague. That trust has been broken.” – Ben Thomas
Judge Signals Jail as Sentencing Looms
Judge Shane Collery KC warned Kankiya bluntly: “There is a high risk of custody. I think he needs to be prepared for that.”
Kankiya, who mainly dealt with mental health and capacity law, must undergo a probation pre-sentence report before his sentencing on December 22. He remains on bail.
