A Conservative candidate arrested over a suspected electoral offence cheated the London council he was hoping to represent out of £30,000 in a “sickening” benefits scam, the Standard reveals today.
Michael Fadaka, 33, today accepted he had made “a mistake” by failing to mention the conviction in his nomination papers to stand as a Tory in Enfield.
He was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence in 2011 after claiming tens of thousands of pounds in housing benefits and income support while studying for a law degree.
The Local Government Act 1972 disqualifies candidates from running in local elections if they have received a prison sentence of at least three months, whether suspended or not, within five years of an election.
Fadaka, of Bedale Road, Enfield, has been suspended from the local Tory party but his name will still appear on the ballot paper at next week’s poll.
He was arrested and released on police bail until June after being questioned by detectives on suspicion of committing an electoral offence.
He told the Standard: “It was while I was studying law at university. I didn’t realise about housing benefit at the time that I couldn’t claim it. It was a mistake and that’s why the judge didn’t jail me. I didn’t realise you could not run if you had a conviction and I explained this to the police.
“I will run in the future if the opportunity comes up.”
At the time of Fadaka’s conviction, Labour councillor Andrew Stafford, in charge of finance at the council, said: “It would sicken most hardworking people to know Fadaka had fleeced tens of thousands of pounds off the public purse while they struggle to make ends meet.”
A second Tory candidate was also released on police bail in connection with a separate investigation into an alleged election offence in Tower Hamlets. Jewel Islam, 38, of Southern Grove in Mile End, blamed the council for “not providing sufficient guidelines” and denied making a mistake.
He has been suspended from the local Tory party though the party stressed it is not yet clear whether he has committed any offence.
