Telford woman used fake documents to claim £26k student bursary
A woman has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming more than £26,000 in a student bursary using false Home Office documents.
Leticia Awuku, 39, claimed £26,330.75 from the NHS student bursary by saying she had indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
She was found guilty of fraud by a jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court by a majority 10 to 2 decision.
Awuku, of Highway View, Arleston, Telford, said she was given a letter granting her leave to remain in the UK and false stamps by her father.
Mr David Bright, prosecuting, argued that Awuku would have or should have known that the documents were illegitimate when they were passed to her.
He said: “The application was submitted in May 2007 with certain documents.
“In addition to the application she sent a false letter dated August 25, 2001, saying she could remain indefinitely in the UK.
“As an intelligent woman, surely she would have questioned her father when she saw this document saying she could study to be a nurse?”
Arrest
The court heard that Awuku came to the UK in the 1990s and that her father died in 2010.
Awuku, originally from Ghana, studied full time between 2007 and 2011 at Kingston University and completed a diploma in nursing.
Mr Bright said that Awuku was arrested in May 2012 by enforcement officers on suspicion of illegally entering the UK.
Awuku told the court she respected and trusted her father, but was “terrified of him”.
Representing her, Mr Robin Morgan said that Awuku’s intention had always been to better herself.
He said that she carried out her nursing course with the aim of working in the NHS.
A jury found Awuku guilty with a majority of 10 to two, after deliberating for about three hours.
She will be sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on September 3.
