Havering Council Fraud: £208,700 Admitted by Ex-Manager, Romford 2026

Key Points

• Akinremi Akintokunbo, former Assistant Market Manager at London Borough of Havering, pleaded guilty to fraud under the Fraud Act 2006.
• The offence occurred between 2 March 2024 and 5 December 2024, involving 133 refund transactions totalling £208,700.
• Akintokunbo used a council-issued chip and pin device to process refunds to himself.
• He entered his guilty plea at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 30 June 2026.
• The case has been committed to Snaresbrook Crown Court for sentencing, with proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 also expected.
• A pre-sentence report has been ordered; no sentencing date has been set.
• Akintokunbo was granted unconditional bail.
• Councillor Sue Benjamins, Deputy Leader of Havering Council, praised the finance team’s diligence and reiterated the council’s zero tolerance policy.
• The council confirmed Akintokunbo was swiftly dismissed once the fraud was detected.
• Reporting restrictions apply ahead of sentencing, with no speculation permitted on potential penalties.

Havering Council (East London Times) July 3, 2026 –A former Assistant Market Manager at the London Borough of Havering has admitted defrauding the council of more than £208,000 of public money. Akinremi Akintokunbo entered a guilty plea to an offence under the Fraud Act 2006 at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, according to court proceedings reported by local outlets covering the case.

The court heard that between 2 March 2024 and 5 December 2024, Akintokunbo abused his position by carrying out 133 individual refund transactions to himself using a London Borough of Havering chip and pin device.

The total value of the fraudulent transactions was £208,700, resulting in a significant loss of taxpayers’ funds, as outlined in the prosecution summary presented to the magistrates.

Following his guilty plea, the case has been committed to Snaresbrook Crown Court for sentencing. The Crown Court will also consider proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to determine whether any assets can be recovered, in line with standard procedure for fraud cases involving substantial sums.

A pre-sentence report has been ordered to assist the court before sentence is passed. No sentencing date has yet been fixed and Akintokunbo was granted unconditional bail, court records show.

How was the fraud discovered and what did the council say?

Councillor Sue Benjamins, Deputy Leader of Havering Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, issued a statement following the plea. As reported by council communications, Cllr Benjamins said:

“I want to thank all those involved in this case. It beggars’ belief that anyone can think they can get away with something like this. Particularly in this case that involved such a large sum of taxpayers’ money.”

Cllr Benjamins added:

“It was down to the diligence of our finance team that this crime was spotted and he was quickly dismissed while the investigation took place. We have a zero tolerance policy and we will deploy all necessary resources to protect the Council and public funds from those who would seek to do harm or abuse their positions.”

The council confirmed that internal controls and finance team monitoring identified the irregular refund activity, prompting an internal investigation and subsequent dismissal of Akintokunbo during the inquiry. The matter was then referred to the appropriate authorities for criminal investigation and prosecution.

Where will sentencing take place and what happens next?

The case will now proceed to Snaresbrook Crown Court, where a judge will decide the appropriate sentence. As sentencing has not yet taken place, reporting should avoid speculation about the outcome or any potential penalty, in accordance with standard legal reporting guidelines.

Proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 will be considered alongside sentencing, meaning the court may examine whether assets obtained through the fraud can be recovered for return to the public purse. The ordering of a pre-sentence report indicates the court will receive additional information on the defendant’s circumstances before determining the final sentence.

Akintokunbo remains on unconditional bail until the sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. Crown Court listings will be updated once a date is fixed, court administration noted.

Who is Akinremi Akintokunbo and what was his role?

Akinremi Akintokunbo served as an Assistant Market Manager at the London Borough of Havering, a role that involved oversight of market operations and associated financial processes, including the handling of refund transactions.

The court heard that his position granted him access to a council-issued chip and pin device used to process refunds, which he allegedly exploited to direct payments to himself.

The exact duration of his employment with the council has not been disclosed in open court summaries, but the fraudulent transactions occurred over a nine-month period from March to December 2024. He was dismissed during the investigation, the council confirmed.

What legal framework applies to this case?

Akintokunbo pleaded guilty to an offence under the Fraud Act 2006, specifically the offence of fraud by abuse of position.

Under the Act, this offence occurs when a person occupies a position in which they are expected to safeguard, or not act against, the financial interests of another person, and dishonestly abuses that position with intent to make a gain or cause a loss.

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 provides the statutory basis for asset recovery proceedings, enabling the court to consider confiscation orders where benefit from criminal conduct is established. In cases involving public funds, recovery proceedings are routinely pursued alongside criminal sentencing.

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Background to the development

The London Borough of Havering operates several markets across the borough, with market management roles encompassing licensing, compliance, and financial administration related to stallholders and market users.

Assistant Market Managers are responsible for day-to-day operational oversight, which can include processing refunds and managing transactional systems tied to council accounts.

Internal audit and finance teams within the council regularly review transactional data to detect anomalies. In this instance, irregular refund patterns triggered an internal review, leading to the identification of 133 suspect transactions.

The council’s internal investigation preceded the criminal probe, with evidence gathered and submitted to prosecuting authorities.

Public sector fraud cases of this nature typically involve scrutiny of internal controls, with councils often reviewing procedures following such incidents to prevent recurrence.

Havering Council has previously highlighted its zero tolerance stance on fraud and corruption, with dedicated counter-fraud resources employed to safeguard public money.

Prediction: How might this affect Havering residents and council staff?

Residents and local businesses in Havering may see renewed attention on council financial controls and transparency measures following this case.

High-profile fraud involving taxpayer funds often promptscalls for enhanced oversight, potentially leading to additional audit checks, stricter authorisation thresholds for refunds, and more frequent reporting to cabinet members on financial risk.

For council staff, particularly those in finance and market management roles, the case may result in updated training on fraud prevention, reinforced segregation of duties in transactional processes, and closer monitoring of access to payment devices.

While no direct service cuts are indicated by this single case, sustained pressure on public finances could intensify scrutiny of all expenditure, with implications for budgeting and resource allocation in future financial years.

For the wider public, the admission of guilt and the prospect of asset recovery under the Proceeds of Crime Act may offer some reassurance that misconduct is being addressed.

However, the loss of £208,700 in public funds underscores the financial impact of internal fraud, reinforcing the importance of robust controls and swift investigative action when irregularities are detected.