Abolaji Onafuye, 54, a Nigerian who claimed his sister and nephew died
in the Grenfell Tower fire to secure accommodation and more than £40,000
has been convicted of fraud. Onafuye who is from Hammersmith, west
London, claimed the cash after telling volunteers he was related to two
real victims of the fire. He was put up in a hotel for nearly a year
before being moved to a flat. Onafuye denied fraud, but was convicted at
Isleworth Crown Court of two counts of frauds by false representation.
He is due to be sentenced at the same court on 18 December. The fire on
14 June 2017 in Kensington killed 72 people. Prosecutor Michael
Phillips, said: "Abolaji Onafuye had no connections to the Grenfell
Tower tragedy but saw an opportunity to benefit himself, both
financially and with accommodation."Our prosecution was able to prove he
had repeatedly and intentionally lied and that his post-arrest story
that it had all been an innocent mistake was just an attempt to escape
the consequences of his cruel deception."54-year old Nigerian, Abolaji Onafuye convicted in UKÂ for falsely claiming that his family died in Grenfell Tower fire
Abolaji Onafuye, 54, a Nigerian who claimed his sister and nephew died
in the Grenfell Tower fire to secure accommodation and more than £40,000
has been convicted of fraud. Onafuye who is from Hammersmith, west
London, claimed the cash after telling volunteers he was related to two
real victims of the fire. He was put up in a hotel for nearly a year
before being moved to a flat. Onafuye denied fraud, but was convicted at
Isleworth Crown Court of two counts of frauds by false representation.
He is due to be sentenced at the same court on 18 December. The fire on
14 June 2017 in Kensington killed 72 people. Prosecutor Michael
Phillips, said: "Abolaji Onafuye had no connections to the Grenfell
Tower tragedy but saw an opportunity to benefit himself, both
financially and with accommodation."Our prosecution was able to prove he
had repeatedly and intentionally lied and that his post-arrest story
that it had all been an innocent mistake was just an attempt to escape
the consequences of his cruel deception."
