A barrister who was convicted of being part of a conspiracy to defraud the legal aid fund has been disbarred. Rasib Ghaffar, called by Lincoln’s Inn in July 1995, was convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to three years’ imprisonment in June 2024.
The case focused on four claims, arising from the legal costs of four acquitted defendants, totalling £1,856,584 of which one quarter - £469,477 - was paid out.
Ghaffar was found to be responsible for a fee note in his name for £184,000 relating to more than 350 hours of work. He had been instructed only seven days before the conclusion of the case.
An independent disciplinary tribunal found one charge of professional misconduct proved. The five-person panel found Ghaffar acted in a manner that was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or the profession or could reasonably be seen by the public to undermine his integrity.
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A spokesperson for the Bar Standards Board said: ‘Mr Ghaffar’s conduct in defrauding the legal aid fund led to a criminal conviction for dishonesty and falls well below the standards that the public expect of barristers. The order to disbar him reflects this.’
The tribunal’s findings remain subject to appeal.
