A senior Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) official has been handed a suspended sentence after admitting to fraudulently claiming £45,000 in sick pay by inventing a story about a severe reaction to a mosquito bite.
The Elaborate Deception
Maurice Okello, 39, a policy advisor for the DWP, told his employers he had contracted malaria after being bitten by a mosquito while attending his father's funeral in Kenya. He claimed this left him gravely ill and unable to work.
However, while officially signed off on taxpayer-funded sick leave, Okello was in fact jet-setting across the globe. His travels included destinations such as Tampa, Mexico City, Boston, Gothenburg, Kos, Marrakesh, and Brussels.
The Court's Decision
Okello was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court, where Judge Martin Griffith condemned his actions. The judge stated that Okello had "abused his position" in a "sophisticated" fraud that lasted nearly a year.
Judge Griffith told him: "People are rightly fed up with civil servants doing this sort of thing and there may come a time when a very serious view is taken on these things." He emphasised that £45,000 is a "very substantial sum of money" and that such offences often lead to immediate imprisonment.
A Suspended Sentence
Despite the seriousness of the crime, the judge decided not to impose an immediate jail term. This decision was primarily based on the poor health of Okello's wife and the significant impact his imprisonment would have on her.
Judge Griffith concluded that Okello offered a "real prospect of rehabilitation" and the ability to pay compensation. He issued a stark warning, however, telling Okello: "If you've ever played Monopoly you've used your get out of jail free card and you won't get another one."
